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THE 


PREACHER  AND  PASTOR : 

BY 


FENELON,  HERBERT,  BAXTER,  CAMPBELL. 


EDITED  AND  ACCOAIPANIED  WITH  AN 


INTRODUCTORY  ESSAY, 


BY 

EDWARDS  A.  PARK, 

Pj  BARTLET  PROFESSOR  IN  ANDOVER  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY. 


SECOND  THOUSAND. 


NEW  YORK: 

PUBLISHED  BY  M.  W.  DODD, 

BRICK  CHURCH  CHAPEL,  OPPOSITE  THE  PARK. 

1849. 


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PREFACE. 


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Some  of  the  reasons  for  republishing  the  following  treatises 
^ of  Fenelon,  Herbert,  Baxter  and  Campbell  are  the  following : 

First,  all  these  treatises  have  an  established  character,  and  no 
minister’s  library  should  be  destitute  of  the  standard  works  in 
any  department  of  his  professional  studies.  “ The  Reformed 
Pastor,”  says  Dr.  Doddridge,  “ is  a most  extraordinary  perform- 
ance, and  should  be  read  by  every  young  minister,  before  he 
takes  a people  under  his  stated  care ; and,  I think,  the  practical 
part  of  it  reviewed  every  three  or  four  years ; for  nothing  would 
have  a greater  tendency  to  awaken  the  spirit  of  a minister  to 
that  zeal  in  his  work,  for  want  of  which  many  good  men  are 
but  shadows  of  what  (by  the  blessing  of  God)  they  might  be,  if 
the  maxims  and  measures  laid  down  in  that  incomparable  trea- 
tise were  strenuously  pursued.”  Dr.  Bates  characterizes  the 
Reformed  Pastor  as  “ an  accomplished  model  of  an  evangelical 
minister ;”  and  Baxter  himself  speaks  of  it  as  “ one  of  the  great- 
est and  best  works  that  I ever  put  my  hand  to  in  my  whole  life.” 
Similar  testimony  has  been  given  by  venerated  men  to  what 
Doddridge  calls,  “Fenelon’s  incomparable  Dialogues  on  Elo- 
quence.” Dr.  Edward  Williams  says  in  his  Christian  Preacher, 
that  they  ‘‘  are  deservedly  mentioned  by  many  writers  of  emi- 
nence, with  a sort  of  respect  bordering  on  veneration  ; and  no 
wonder,  for  such  a union  of  the  sublime  and  simple,  of  learn- 
ing and  familiarity,  of  judicious  criticism  and  happy  illustration  ; 
such  unaffected  humility  and  warm  benevolence,  delicate  taste 
and  solid  sense  ; and  above  all,  such  reverence  for  sacred  things, 
blended  with  a subject  so  often  employed  by  human  vanity  and 
pride,  are  superior  excellences  very  rarely  found.”  It  may  also 


611731 


PREFACE. 


ir 

be  said  of  Campbell’s  Lectures  on  Pulpit  Eloquence,  that  al- 
though imperfect,  they  have  yet  become  a kind  of  professional 
classic  for  the  preacher.  They  have  already  passed  through 
many  editions  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic,  and  derive  a com- 
manding reputation  from  the  philosophical  genius  of  their  au- 
thor, and  from  his  know^n  intimacy  vrith  the  rhetorical  writings 
of  ancient  and  modern  days.  The  labor  which  he  expended  on 
his  Philosophy  of  Rhetoric,  qualified  him  to  write  his  Lectures 
on  the  Pulpit,  and  that  work  imparts  to  these  lectures  somewhat 
of  its  own  authority.  They  contain  the  compressed  results  of  a 
protracted  study,  in  which  he  was  an  acknowledged  master. 

Secondly,  the  bare  fact  that  these  treatises  have  a standard 
authority  in  the  church,  imparts  to  them  a factitious  worth 
which  cannot  be  attained  by  compositions  of  modern  date.  It 
is  impossible  that  any  living  divine  will  give  such  counsels  with 
regard  to  clerical  duty,  as  will  secure  the  veneration  already 
paid  to  the  maxims  which  our  ancestors  have  sanctioned.  Even 
if  the  contemporary  author  be  as  good  a man  as  Richard  Bax- 
ter, and  if  he  express  himself  with  as  much  pith  and  wisdom, 
still  he  cannot  expect  the  same  immediate  deference,  which  is 
yielded,  as  by  prescriptive  right,  to  the  Puritan  of  Kiddermin- 
ster. The  dead,  when  revered  at  all,  have  often  one  advantage 
over  the  living ; their  foibles  are  hidden  behind  the  veil  of 
years,  it  may  be  of  centuries ; their  virtues  are  remembered, 
perhaps  magnified, — and  that  which  is  unknown  in  reference  to 
them  is  interpreted  in  their  favor.  There  is  a species  of  cano- 
nization, which  we  are  instinctively  inclined  to  practise,  and 
which  often  gives  to  the  departed  a more  unbroken  influence 
than  even  they  could  have  had  while  living. 

Thirdly,  the  treatises  here  republished  of  our  older  writers  are 
eminently  suggestive  in  their  character.  A book  which  leads 
those  who  peruse  it  to  think  for  themselves,  is  more  valuable 
than  one  which  is  composed  with  greater  punctiliousness,  but 
without  that  peculiar  kind  of  inspiration  which  infuses  itself 
into  the  mind  of  the  reader.  George  Herbert  does  not  mention 


PREFACE, 


V 


some  good  rules  for  the  pastoral  care  ; but  he  suggests  far  more 
than  he  expressly  enjoins.  He  prescribes  much  that  is  now 
obsolete,  but  those  maxims  which  are  inappropriate  to  our  time 
are  still  useful  as  illustrations  of  times  gone  by ; as  intimating 
certain  great  principles  of  ministerial  duty,  which  remain  in  all 
ages  the  same,  while  the  methods  in  which  the  duty  is  dis- 
charged may  be  varied  with  successive  generations.  It  would 
increase  the  ease  of  our  living,  if  we  could  find  the  rules  of  our 
profession,  all  written  out  just  as  they  are  to  be  applied  ; but  it 
is  far  more  impressive  to  learn  the  main  principles  of  our  call- 
ing from  a comparison  of  the  systems  which  are  become  some- 
what antiquated  with  those  which  are  at  present  in  vogue. 
While  it  is  important  to  read  such  works  as  those  of  Porter  and 
Gresley,  it  is  by  no  means  prudent  to  neglect  such  as  those  of 
Campbell  and  Fenelon. 

Fourthly,  the  style  in  which  some  of  these  treatises  are  writ- 
ten is  a sufficient  reason  for  presenting  and  earnestly  commend- 
ing them  to  our  clergy.  The  language  of  George  Herbert  will 
never  cease  to  be  itself  instructive.  He  published  his  Country 
Parson  about  forty  years  after  the  first  three  books  of  Spenser’s 
Faery  Queen  were  written,  but  this  poem  cannot  well  be  under- 
stood without  a glossary,  while  it  may  almost  be  said  of  Her- 
bert, as  Mackintosh  says  of  Hobbes,  that  “ two  centuries  have 
not  superannuated  more  than  a dozen  of  his  words.”  It  is  in- 
teresting to  the  scholar  to  compare  the  style  of  the  Country  Par- 
son, with  that  of  Cotton  Mather’s  “ Directions  for  a Candidate  of 
the  Ministry a work  published  nearly  a century  after  that  of 
Herbert,  and  yet  more  antiquated  in  its  phraseology.  Coleridge 
remarks  in  his  Friend,  p.  37,  “ Having  mentioned  the  name  of 
Herbert,  that  model  of  a man,  a gentleman  and  a clergyman,  let 
me  add,  that  the  quaintness  of  some  of  his  thoughts,  not  of  his 
diction,  than  which  nothing  can  be  more  pure,  manly  and  un- 
affected, has  blinded  modern  readers  to  the  great  general  merit 
of  his  poems,  (and,  it  may  be  also  said,  his  prose  writings,)  which 
are  for  the  most  part  exquisite  in  their  kind,”  With  the  style 


VI 


PREFACE. 


of  Richard  Baxter,  no  student  of  the  English  language,  and  es- 
pecially no  clergyman  should  fail  to  be  familiar.  He  is,  says 
Dr.  Doddridge,  my  particular  favorite.  It  is  impossible  to  tell 
you,  how  much  I am  charmed  with  the  devotion,  good  sense  and 
pathos  which  is  everywhere  to  be  found  in  him.  I cannot  for- 
bear looking  upon  him  as  one  of  the  greatest  orators,  both  with 
regard  to  copiousness,  acuteness  and  energy,  that  our  nation  hath 
produced and  again,  “ he  discovers  a manly  eloquence  and 
the  most  evident  proofs  of  an  amazing  genius,  with  respect  to 
which  he  may  not  improperly  be  called  the  English  Demosthe- 
nes.” For  judicious  remarks  on  the  excellence  of  Baxter’s 
style,  see  Edinburgh  Review  for  1839  on  the  Life  and  Times  of 
Baxter,  ani  for  1840  on  the  British  Pulpit. 

Fifthly,  the  religious  spirit  which  breathes  through  the  trea 
tises  of  Fenelon,  Herbert  and  Baxter,  is  of  itself  a sufficient  rea 
son  for  insisting  on  their  frequent  perusal.  They  indeed  con- 
tain some  remarks  which  it  should  seem  better  to  have  omitted  5 
but  on  the  whole  they  exhibit  the  greatness  of  the  sacred  call- 
ing, so  as  to  stimulate  the  preacher  to  an  humble  and  earnest 
pursuit  after  excellence. 

The  editor  has  made  scarcely  any  alterations  in  the  phraseolo- 
gy of  the  treatises  republished.  In  many  instances  he  has  re- 
tained the  ancient  punctuation  even.  He  has  omitted  the  Ap- 
pendix which  Palmer  attached  to  the  Reformed  Pastor,  and  also 
a few  irrelevant  sentences  from  Campbell’s  Lectures.  He  has 
inserted  an  Introductory  Essay,  part  of  which  he  published  in 
the  Christian  Review,  Vol.  IV.  pp.  581 — 603. 

TheoL  Seminary^  Andover^  ) 

August  25,  1845.  ) 


CONTENTS 


Introductory  Essay  on  the  Dignity  and  Importance  of  the 
Preacher's  Work,  11 — 46. 


FENELON’S  DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE  j 

PARTICULARLY  THAT  OF  THE  PULPIT. 

First  Dialogue. — Conceits,  far-fetched  ornaments  in  a discourse, 
51 — 55,  The  ultimate  object  of  a discourse  is  not  to  please  but  to 
improve  men  ; Illustrations  from  the  example  of  Isocrates,  Demos- 
thenes, Longinus,  Homer,  Virgil,  from  the  nature  of  eloquence  and 
a comparison  of  it  with  other  arts,  from  the  opinions  of  Socrates 
and  Plato,  56 — 76.  An  orator  should  be  a good  man,  69 — 73.  In- 
tellectual furniture  of  an  orator,  78 — 81.  Evils  resulting  from  his 
deficient  education,  81,  ^2.  Criterion  of  true  eloquence,  82,  3. 

Second  Dialogue. — Ornament  essential  to  eloquence,  84.  Distinc- 
tion between  true  and  false  ornaments,  86 — 92.  Difference  be- 
tween philosophy,  poetry  and  eloquence,  84 — 92.  Elocution  : im- 
portance of  appropriate,  natural  gesture  ; of  various,  expressive 
tones,  92 — 102.  Preaching  memoriter,  extempore,  from  written 
notes,  102 — 112.  Formal  divisions  in  a discourse,  112 — 116.  Pro- 
per order  in  a sermon,  115.  Puerile  ornaments  in  writing4»com- 
pared  to  quavering  notes  in  music,  to  the  Gothic  style  of  architec- 
ture ; Illustration  from  Isocrates,  117 — 120.  Particularity,  vivid- 
ness, variety,  plainness,  appropriateness  of  style,  120 — 124. 

Third  Dialogue. — Qualities  essential  for  an  instructive  preacher, 
124 — 126.  The  simplicity  of  the  Scriptures  consistent  with  their 
eloquence,  126 — 130.  Reasoning  in  the  Scriptures,  130,  131. 
Preaching  of  Christ  and  his  apostles,  132,  133, 137,  138.  The  Bi- 
ble attended  with  supernatural  influences  of  the  Spirit,  133,  4. 
Simple  and  vivid  style  of  the  Hebrew  Scriptures,  135 — 137.  Pro- 
per method  of  biblical  preaching,  139.  Mistaken  simplicity,  want 
of  an  affectionate  manner  in  preaching,  141,  2.  Importance  of  a 
pastor’s  preaching  to  his  own  people,  143.  Objections  of  the  church 
fathers  to  the  study  of  profane  literature,  144,  5.  Importance  of 
studying  the  writings  of  the  fathers,  145,  6.  Character  of  their  elo- 
quence, 151 — 158.  Proper  style  of  preaching,  147 — 151.  The 

choice  and  interpretation  of  a text,  158 — 160.  The  style  of  pane- 
gyrical discourses,  161,  2. 


Vlll 


CONTENTS. 


HERBERT’S  COUNTRY  PARSON. 

Of  a pastor,  165.  Diversities  of  situation,  165,  6.  The  parson’s  life, 
167,  8.  The  parson’s  knowledges,  168,  9.  The  parson’s  accessary- 
knowledges,  169,  170.  The  parson  praying,  170,  V72.  The  parson 
preaching,  172,174.  The  parson  on  Sundays,  174,  5.  The  par- 
son’s state  of  life,  176—178.  The  parson  in  his  house,  178—181. 
The  parson’s  courtesy,  181,  2.  The  parson’s  charity,  182 — 184. 
The  parson’s  church,  184,  5.  The  parson  in  circuit,  185 — 187.  The 
parson  comforting,  187,  8.  The  parson  a father,  188.  The  parson 
in  journey,  188,  9.  The  parson  in  sentinel,  189,  190.  The  parson 
in  reference,  190,  1.  The  parson  in  God’s  stead,  191,  2.  The  par- 
son catechising,  192—194.  The  parson  in  sacraments,  195,  6.  The 
parson’s  completeness,  197—199.  The  parson  arguing,  1 99,  200. 
The  parson  punishing,  200.  The  parson’s  eye,  201 — 204.  The 
parson  in  mirth,  204.  The  parson  in  contempt,  204,  5.  The  par- 
son with  his  church-wardens,  206.  The  parson’s  consideration  of 
providence,  206—208.  The  parson  in  liberty,  208,  9.  The  par- 
son’s surveys,  210—213.  The  parson’s  library,  213 — 215.  The 
parson’s  dexterity  in  applying  of  remedies,  215 — 218.  The  parson’s 
condescending,  218,  19.  The  parson  blessing,  219 — 221.  Concern- 
ing detraction,  221,  22. 


^ BAXTER’S  REFORMED  PASTOR. 

Part  First. — The  duty  of  ministers  with  regard  to  themselves,  228 
— 241.  Reasons  why  they  should  be  converted  men,  228 — 232. 
Why  they  should  be  well-educated,  232 — 236.  Proper  motives  of 
a minister,  236,  7.  Consistency  of  ministerial  character  and  deport- 
ment, 237.  Peculiar  temptations  of  ministers,  and  peculiar  evils 
resulting  from  their  unfaithfulness,  238 — 240.  Good  influence  of 
their  piety  upon  their  hearers,  240,41. 

Part  Second. — The  duty  of  ministers  with  respect  to  their  people, 
241—350. 

Chapter  I. — Design  of  preaching,  243,4.  Manner  of  preaching; 
importance  of  energy,  244 — 246.  The  delivery  and  composition  of 
sermons,  246.  Devotional  parts  of  worship,  sacraments,  247. 

Chapter  II. — Importance  of  the  pastor's  particular  acquaintance 
with  his  people,  247,  8.  He  should  instruct  the  ignorant,  especial- 
ly on  cases  of  conscience,  248,  9.  He  should  encourage  family  re- 
ligion, 350,  1.  His  duties  to  the  sick,  251 — 254;  to  notorious  of- 
fenders, 254  ; to  humble  Christians,  254,  5. 

Chapter  HI. — The  minister’s  labors  for  his  unconverted  hearers, 
255,  6 ; for  several"  classes  of  those  who  are  converted,  256 — 260; 
for  those  of  a doubtful  character,  260,  1.  Proper  treatment  of  the 
opinionated  and  contentious  ; Modes  of  suppressing  schism,  261 
— 268.  A minister  should  be,  and  appear  to  be  superior  to  his  peo- 


CONTENTS. 


IX 


pie,  261 — 263.  He  should  excel  his  opponents  in  Christian  activi- 
ty, 266,  7. 

Chapter  IV. — Methods  of  inducing  a people  to  attend  to  catacheti^ 
cal  instruction,  269.  Rules  for  giving  such  instruction,  270 — 275. 

Chapter  V. — Advantages  of  catachetical  instruction  to  the  ignorant 
and  ungodly,  277,  8 ; to  the  pious,  278,  9.  Its  influence  on  the 
pulpit,  and  the  general  duties  of  the  ministry,  279 — 283.  Obliga- 
tions and  various  motives  to  the  performance  of  this  duty,  283-287,. 

Chapter  VI. — Rules  for  the  public  reproof  of  offenders,  288.  Exhor- 
tation to  be  connected  with  reproof,  288,  9.  Prayer  for  the  reproved,. 
290.  Endeavors  for  their  moral  restoration,  290,  1.  Exclusion, 
of  the  incorrigible  from  the  church,  291,  2.  Objections  to  churck 
discipline  answered,  293 — 296.  Reasons  for  it,  296 — 298. 

Chapter  VII. — Difficulties  of  the  ministerial  work,  298 — 300.  Mo- 
tives to  its  faithful  performance  from  the  nature  of  the  work  itself,. 
300 — 302;  from  its  relations  to  the  ’ Spirit  of  God,  302;  to  the 
church,  302,  3 ; to  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  303,  4. 

Chapter  VIII. — Objections  to  the  prescribed  course  of  ministerial 
duty  answered,  304 — 315.  The  minister’s  congregation  should  not 
be  too  large,  304,  5.  His  own  improvement  should  be  sacrificed,  if 
necessary,  to  the  good  of  his  people,  but  this  is  not  necessary,  305— 
307.  His  duties  compatible  with  his  health,  307 — 309.  He  should 
abstain  from  idle  amusements,  309,  10.  He  should  delight  in  hiS’ 
work,  311.  The  severity  of  ministerial  duties  will  not  deter  proper 
men  from  the  profession,  311, 12.  The  opposition  of  his  parishion- 
ers, no  reason  for  the  pastor’s  becoming  unfaithful,  312^  13.  His 
fidelity  is  required  by  the  whole  spirit  of  the  Bible,  314, 15. 

Chapter  IX. — A minister  should  insist  most  on  that  which  is  most 
necessary,  316,  17.  He  should  preach  so  as  to  be  understood,  317, 
18;  and  so  as  to  meet  the  varied  wants  of  his  people,  318.  He 
should  divest  himself  of  pride,  vanity  and  ambition,  319 — 323.  He- 
should  preach  with  reverence,  323,  4 ; in  a spiritual  and  biblical 
style,  324,  5.  He  should  have  a deep  love  for  his  people,  325,  6. 
He  should  avoid  a worldly  spirit,  326—328.  He  should  preserve  a 
patient  and  peaceable  temper,  328 — 336.  Discord  results  from 
pride  of  opinion,  332,  3 ; from  the  love  of  novelty,  333  ; from  the 
narrowness  of  creeds,  333,  4 ; from  magnifying  the  importance  oT 
controverted  opinions,.  334,  5.  Progress  in  theology  must  be  ad- 
mitted, 335.  The  purity  of  theology  should  be  preserved,  335,  Go. 
Advantages  resulting  from  meetings  for  ministerial  communion,, 
336 — 339.  Answers  to  objections  against  such  meetings,  339 — 341. 
A minister  should  desire  and  expect  success,  341,  342,  and  should 
rely  for  it  on  Christ  alone,  342. 

Chapter  X.— General  exhortation  to  the  virtues  appropriate  to  a 
clergyman,  343—350. 


X 


CONTENTS. 


CAMPBELL’S  LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 

Lecture  I. — Importance  of  the  study  of  eloquence ; objections 
against  it  answered,  354 — 358.  Helps  for  the  attainment  of  the 
art,  358 — 360. 

Lecture  II. — The  thoughts  and  sentiments  in  pulpit  discourses,  360 
— 368.  Rules  for  the  narration,  361 — 363;  for  the  explication,  363, 
4 ; for  the  reasoning,  364 — 367  ; for  the  moral  reflection,  367,  8. 

Lecture  III. — The  style  of  a discourse,  368 — 379.  Grammatical 
correctness  and  purity,  369 — 371.  Plainness;  defences  against  it, 
371—376.  The  affecting  style,  376—378. 

Lecture  IV. — The  delivery  of  a discourse,  379 — 389.  Grammatical 
or  correct  delivery,  379 — 382.  Rhetorical  delivery,  382 — 384,  The 
practice  of  reading  sermons  compared  with  that  of  repeating  them 
memoriter,  384-387.  Rules  for  the  management  of  the  voice,  388,  9. 

Lecture  V. — Various  kinds  of  discourses,  390 — 399.  Different  fac- 
ulties and  susceptibilities  appealed  to,  390 — 392.  Explanatory  and 
controversial  sermons,  392,  3.  Commendatory  sermons,  393,  4. 
Pathetic  discourses,  394,  5.  Persuasive  discourses,  395.  Compa- 
rison of  sermons  with  the  orations  treated  of  by  the  ancients,  395 
— 397.  Theatrical  performances,  397 — 399. 

Lecture  VI. — Explanation  of  terms,  399 — 403.  General  principles 
to  be  observed  in  the  exposition  and  the  lecture,  403 — 409. 

Lecture  VII. — Explanatory  sermons.  Choice  of  a subject,  409,  10. 
Design  of  preaching  from  texts,  and  objections  to  the  practice,  410 

. — 412.  History  of  the  practice,  413, 14.  The  text  should  be  plain, 
414 — 416;  pertinent,  416,  17  ; full,  simple,  417,  18;  authoritative, 
418.  Exceptions  to  the  preceding  rules,  418,  19. 

Lecture  Vlll. — Explanatory  sermons.  Rules  for  the  exordium, 
420 — 422;  the  exposition,  422,  3;  division;  relation  of  it  to  the 
text  and  the  subject;  423 — 431. 

Lecture  IX. — Explanatory  sermons.  Arrangement  of  the  heads, 
431 — 433.  Rules  for  style  ; for  the  use  of  Scriptural  language,  433 
— 437 ; for  the  conclusion,  438 — 440. 

Lecture  X. — Controversial  sermons ; their  proper  arrangement, 
style  and  spirit,  440 — 450. 

Lecture  XL — Commendatory  sermons ; their  proper  style  and  spirit, 
450 — 459.  The  historical,  logical,  grammatical  arrangement,  452, 
3.  Reference  to  the  ancient  demonstrative  orations,  452,  3. 

Lecture  Xll. — Pathetic  discourses;  rules  for  their  composition,  459 
— 463.  Persuasive  discourses,  rules  for  their  composition,  463 — 468. 


Errata. — Page  79,  eighth  line  from  top,  read  frame  for  “fame.” 
p.  317,  sixteenth  line  from  top,  insert  are  after  “ time.”  p.  358,  four- 
teenth line  from  top,  insert  manner  after  “ what.’ 


INTRODUCTORY  ESSAY 


ON  THE 

DIGNITY  AND  IMPORTANCE  OF  THE  PREACHER’S 
WORK. 


The  remark  has  been  often  made,  that  a scholar  of  but 
moderate  powers  can  be  more  certain  of  a livelihood  in  the 
profession  of  divinity,  than  in  that  of  law  or  physic.  It  is 
said  that  men  are  more  willing  to  entrust  the  care  of  their 
souls,  than  of  their  bodies  or  estates  to  incompetent  pretend- 
ers. In  order  to  attain  eminence  at  the  bar,  a man  must  an- 
alyze with  great  care  the  principles  of  ethics  and  jurispru- 
dence, must  be  familiar  with  the  intricate  windings  of  the 
human  heart,  must  be  well  versed  in  the  history  of  nations 
as  well  as  individuals,  must  retain  in  his  memory  a multitude 
of  statutes  and  precedents,  must  be  capable  of  intense  men- 
tal application  to  an  individual  case  for  a long  time,  must  be 
calm  amid  the  excitement  of  all  around  him,  must  think  amid 
noise  and  confusion,  must  be  ready  for  emergencies,  for  sud- 
den rejoinder  and  repartee,  for  extemporaneous  analysis  and 
invention,  as  well  as  unpremeditated  speech.  But  in  order 
to  succeed  in  the  ministry,  it  is  said,  no  more  intellectual  ef- 
fort is  required  than  to  understand  a number  of  truths  in  which 
the  wayfaring  man  though  a fool  need  not  err,  to  pen  homi- 
lies in  the  retirement  of  the  study,  to  read  them  without  the 
perils  of  being  interrupted  and  confused  or  perhaps  refuted 
by  antagonists,  to  go  from  house  to  house  uttering  mild  and 
sweet  words  to  men,  women  and  children.  Thus  has  an 
opinion  gone  abroad  that  the  clerical  profession  makes  a less 
imperative  demand  than  the  legal  upon  the  energies  of  the 
mind  and  will.  It  is  recorded  of  certain  men,  that  “ being  of 
a weakly  habit  ” they  were  set  apart  for  the  church.  Some 
eminent  politicians  have  entered  upon  active  life  as  clergy- 
men, but  have  abandoned  their  sacred  vocation  because  they 
deemed  its  sphere  of  activity  too  low  and  small.  Young  men 


12 


DIGNITY  AND  IMPORTANCE 


of  promise  often  turn  away  from  the  ministry,  because  it  seems 
to  demand  of  them  a sacrifice  of  mental  excellence.  “Mar- 
rying and  christening  machines  have  the  clergymen  of  cer- 
tain churches  been  called,  not  without  some  coloring  of 
truth.  There  is  reason  to  fear  that  many  candidates  for  the 
sacred  office  undervalue  its  inherent  dignity,  and  hope  to  en- 
joy the  kindnesses  of  their  parishioners,  without  any  strong 
impulse  toward  personal  improvement.  And  perhaps  there 
are  men  who  have  begun  to  preach,  and  rest  contented  with 
the  routine  of  common  observances,  and  never  feel  that  the 
kingdom  of  truth,  as  well  as  of  religion,  is  to  suffer  violence, 
and  the  violent  are  to  take  it  by  force.  But  a minister  can- 
not live  in  the  healthful  discharge  of  his  duties,  without  feel- 
ing the  need  of  his  unceasing  movement  upward  ; nor  will 
he  perceive  this  necessity,  unless  he  form  a high  idea  of  the 
work  which  is  given  him  to  do.  A livelihood,  and  even  a 
kind  of  eminence  in  his  calling,  may  sometimes  be  secured 
by  the  minister  who  shrinks  from  that  severity  of  mental  toil 
which  is  needed  for  distinguished  usefulness  in  the  other  pro- 
fessions. But  his  livelihood  is  not  a true  “ living,’’  and  his 
eminence  is  productive  of  but  little  good,  unless  he  be,  in  the 
full  meaning  of  the  term,  a laborer,  unless  his  standard  of 
ministerial  excellence  be  such  as  to  exalt  his  whole  character. 
What  constitutes  a call  to  preach  the  gospel ; what  kind  of 
mental  discipline  should  the  pastor  adopt;  what  books  should 
he  read ; what  subjects  should  he  investigate  ; how  much 
time  should  he  devote  to  social  interviews  with  his  people  ; 
what,  how,  how  often  and  how  long  should  he  preach ; all 
such  questions  can  be  answered  most  fitly  by  him  who  has 
the  deepest  reverence  for  the  pulpit.i  “ The  moment  we 
permit  ourselves,”  says  Robert  Hall,  “ to  think  lightly  of  the 
Christian  ministry,  our  right  arm  is  withered  ; nothing  but 
imbecility  and  relaxation  remains.  For  no  man  ever  ex- 
celled in  a profession  to  which  he  did  not  feel  an  attachment 
bordering  on  enthusiasm ; though  what  in  other  professions 
is  enthusiasm,  is  in  ours  the  dictate  of  sobriety  and  truth.” 


1 Erasmus,  mourning  over  the  deficiencies  of  the  ministry  in  his 
age,  said,  Verum  ad  conciones  sacras  admittuntur,  interdum  etiam 
assiliunt,  quilibet  adolescentes  leves,  indocti,  quasi  nihil  sit  facilius 
quain  apud  populum  exponere  divinam  scripturam,  et  abunde  suffici- 
at  perfricuisse  faciem,  et  absterso  pudore  linguam  volvere.  Hoc  ma- 
lum ex  eo  fonte  manat,  quod  non  perpenditur  quid  sit  ecclesiastic! 
concionatoris,  turn  dignitas,  turn  ditficultas,  turn  utilitas. 


OF  THE  preacher’s  WORK. 


13 


As  it  is  thus  important  for  the  clergyman  to  entertain  high 
views  of  his  office,  in  order  to  learn  its  appropriate  duties  and 
feel  the  proper  stimulus  to  perform  them,  it  cannot  be  amiss 
to  call  his  attention,  for  a few  moments,  to  the  dignity  and 
importance  of  his  work,  and,  in  a special  manner,  of  that 
branch  of  k which  consists  in  the  public  ministration  of  the 
word. 

In  order  to  estimate  the  greatness  of  the  preacher’s  calling, 
we  must  consider  the  nature  of  the  themes  which  he  is  to 
study  and  discuss.  The  character  of  his  office  receives  its 
hue  from  the  character  of  the- subjects  that  he  is  to  master. 
All  truths  are  important ; all  are  religious  in  their  tendency ; 
yet  there  is  a gradation  among  them,  and  one  rises  above  an- 
other like  the  stones  of  the  pyramid.  Though  it  is  neither 
scholar-like  nor  Christian  to  depreciate  any  of  the  sciences, 
there  is  yet  no  harm  in  saying  that  the  glory  of  the  celestial 
is  one,  and  the  glory  of  the  terrestrial  is  another.  Entomol- 
ogy is  not  an  idle  study;  for  the  minutest  insect  is  an  illus- 
tration of  the  greatness  of  God’s  care  and  the  cunning  of  his 
workmanship.  But  we  commonly  feel  that  w^e  have  made 
some  advance,  when  we  come  to  mineralogy  and  geology, 
and  inspect  those  monuments  of  Jehovah’s  love  and  strength 
that  are  curiously  wrought  in  the  low^est  parts  of  the  earth. 
And  certainly  we  are  rising  higher  still,  when  we  expatiate 
on  the  truths  with  which  astronomy  expands  and  ennobles 
the  soul.  As  the  intellect  is  of  more  value  than  a whole  sys- 
tem of  worlds,  we  owe  a profounder  homage  to  the  science 
of  intellect  than  to  that  of  all  matter ; yet  even  this  is  subor- 
dinate to  its  sister  science,  that  of  the  heart ; of  the  affec- 
tions, the  will.  Man’s  moral  nature  is  nobler  than  his  men- 
tal, as  the  architrave  is  above  the  pedestal.  For  his  moral 
nature  all  his  other  powers  were  made  ; they  are  the  frame- 
work for  this  ; his  knowledge  of  them  was  meant  to  be  sub- 
servient to  his  knowledge  of  duty  and  moral  retribution.. 
But  from  the  mind  and  heart  of  a man  we  can  make  an  as- 
cent to  the  mind  and  heart  of  an  angel ; and  higher  still  to 
that  incomprehensible  Spirit,  our  first  idea  of  whom  is  a spe- 
cimen of  sublimity.  Now  the  preacher  of  the  gospel  should 
go  up  all  the  steps  of  science  ; nothing  of  truth  comes  amiss 
to  him  ; everything  is  of  use.  In  the  language  of  an  acute 
divine,  he  must  know  something  of  everything,  although  he 
can  know  everything  of  nothing.”  What  Napoleon  said  of 
2 


14 


DIGNITY  AND  IMPORTANCE 


France!  may  be  accommodated  to  the  Christian  ministry,  and 
“ its  true  power  may  lie  in  not  allowing  a single  new  idea  to 
exist  without  making  it  a part  of  the  property  ” of  the 
office. 

But  although  the  minister  should  acquaint  himself  with  all 
the  sciences,  so  that  he  may  illustrate  the  truths  of  religion 
by  the  facts  of  nature,  so  that  he  may  find  “ sermons  in  stones 
and  good  in  everything,’^  there  are  some  investigations  with 
which  he  should  be  peculiarly  conversant.  As  a man,  as  a 
scholar,  he  must  be  able  to  draw  analogies  to  moral  truth 
from  the  mineral,  vegetable  and  animal  kingdoms;  but  as  a 
Christian  orator  he  should  be  at  home  in  the  philosophy  of 
the  human  intellect.  His  appropriate  work  begins  with  those 
studies,  which  were  the  end  of  many  of  the  labors  of  such 
men  as  Descartes,  Stewart  and  Brown.  He  is  to  answer 
some  of  the  fundamental  questions  in  theology  by  a reference 
to  the  analyses  of  intellectual  operations.  He  must  search 
out  the  law’s  of  mind  as  they  are  developed  in  the  structure 
of  language,  and  must  learn  to  interpret  the  Bible  from  the 
principles  of  mental  suggestion.  He  must  investigate  the 
nature  of  the  intellectual  powers  as  he  is  to  use  them,  and 
the  susceptibilities  as  he  is  to  address  them  in  the  pulpit. 
He  must  learn  how  to  instruct,  to  convince,  to  enchain  at- 
tention, to  keep  fast  hold  upon  the  memory.  Not  satisfied 
with  the  bare  rules  of  rhetoric,  he  must  seek  for  the  reason 
of  these  rules  in  the  nature  of  man.  Nor  is  he  to  linger  too 
long  upon  our  intellectual  faculties.  His  higher  theme  is 
our  moral  constitution.  He  must  learn  how  to  touch  the  se- 
cret springs  of  the  heart ; how  to  evoke  that  volition  which 
will  be  followed  by  an  eternity  of  rew^ard  ; how  to  check  the 
indulgence  of  that  feeling  which  brings  in  its  train  an  eterni- 
ty of  punishment.  The  exalted  and  impressive  designation 
of  his  office  is  “ the  care  of  soulsJ^  Immortality,  free  agen- 
cy, interminable  joy  and  pain,  such  are  the  themes  of  his  pro- 
longed attention.  Thus  is  the  philosophy  which  transcends 
the  knowledge  of  planets  and  suns,  nothing  more  than  an  ele- 
mentary branch  of  the  preacher’s  great  science. 

But  he  does  not  confine  himself  to  the  spiritual  phenomena 
of  men.  He  is  to  discuss  the  doctrine  of  those  superior  in- 
telligences who  come  from  above  or  below  on  ministries  of 
good  or  evil  to  our  race.  He  is  to  analyze  the  intellectual 

' Eourrienne’s  Memoirs,  Vol.  1.  p.  126. 


OF  THE  PREACHER  S WORK. 


15 


character  of  God ; for  he  is  to  inquire  into  the  divine  omnis- 
cience, immutability,  foreknowledge,  decrees.  He  is  to  en- 
large still  more  freely  on  what  is  still  more  exalted,  the  moral 
nature  of  him  who  is  defined  with  more  than  logical  precise- 
ness, God  is  love.”  Rising  above  the  physical  and  psy- 
chological workmanship  of  the  great  Architect,  above  the 
government  of  the  material  and  sentient  universe,  the  preach- 
er arrives  at  his  mind’s  home  and  resting-place,  when  he 
comes  to  the  crowning  excellence  of  the  adorable  One,  and 
portrays  the  atoning  mercy  of  him  who  “ so  loved  the  world.” 
If,  then,  the  acme  of  the  Creator’s  glories  is  to  be  the  most 
familiar  of  the  preacher’s  themes ; if  all  human  sciences  are 
but  ancillary  to  that  revealed  system  which  the  minister  is  to 
explain  and  enfgrce,  if  eternity  and  the  resurrection,  and  God 
and  Christ,  the  Sovereign,  the  Judge,  the  Saviour,  are  to  be 
the  great  objects  on  which  his  mind  is  to  dilate,  then  it  is 
well  to  require  of  him  that  he  be  not  a novice,  but  a man 
of  greatness  of  spirit,  of  high  aims  and  large  compass  of 
thought.  If  a vigorous  intellect  be  needed  for  the  study  of 
human  jurisprudence,  it  is  doubly  requisite  for  the  examina- 
tion of  that  law  according  to  which  ail  our  wise  codes  of 
legislation  are  framed ; which  is  illustrated  by  precedents 
more  numerous  and  complicated  than  are  contained  in  all 
our  juridical  reports  ; which  has  such  relations  to  man  as  call 
for  a close  scrutiny  into  his  nature  and  character  ; and  such 
relations  to  God  as  demand  a comprehensive  view  of  his  rec- 
titude on  the  one  hand,  and  his  grace  on  the  other,  and  of 
that  signal  invention  by  which  he  can  even  honor  the  law  by 
remitting  its  penalties.  The  proper  study  of  the  Bible,  in- 
volving the  investigation  of  ethical  and  metaphysical  truth,  of 
politics,  history,  geology,  and  astronomy ; and  requiring  the 
highest  exercise  of  the  judgment  and  imagination,  the  inven- 
tive genius  and  the  memory,  is  not  the  work  of  a sciolist  who 
enters  the  sacred  office  because  he  is  unfit  for  any  dther. 

The  effects  produced  by  a preacher  illustrate  the  dignity 
and  importance  of  his  work.  It  is  often  said  that  his  in- 
fluence affords  no  argument  in  favor  of  his  office,  for  every 
man  and  every  event  produce  effects  which  no  finite  mind 
can  comprehend.  The  genius  of  Robert  Hall  received  no 
inconsiderable  aid  from  the  conversation  of  a tailor,  A single 
leaf  from  Boston’s  Fourfold  State,  found  and  perused  by  an 
individual  in  Virginia,  led  to  the  small  gathering  at  ‘‘  Morris’s 
Reading  House,”  and  to  the  preaching  of  Robinson  in  that 


16 


DIGNITY  AND  IMPORTANCE 


house,  and  to  the  assistance  of  Samuel  Davies  in  his  education 
for  the  ministry,  and  to  the  subsequent  employment  of  that 
prince  of  preachers”  in  the  vicinity  of  that  same  reading 
house,  and  to  the  long  continued  results  of  his  labors  in  the 
region  which  was  first  enlightened  by  a leaf  from  the  Four- 
fold State.  But  from  the  circumstance  that  all  things  are 
important  in  their  operation  upon  society,  it  were  singular  to 
infer  that  the  Christian  ministry  is  not  important.  The  agency 
of  many  causes  is,  in  the  common  language,  accidental ; that 
of  the  pulpit  is  the  uniform  operation  of  known  laws.  It  is  a 
prominent  agency,  attended  with  consequences  peculiarly  ex- 
tensive, and  meliorating  the  state  of  man  more  directly  than 
is  done  by  other  causes,  more  uniformly  and  more  radically. 
It  is  true  that  the  influence  of  the  preacher  is  not  always  tan- 
gible. He  founds  no  cities  which  are  called  after  his  name. 
There  is  no  pillar  like  Trajan’s,  no  Coliseum,  no  Simplon  to 
remain  as  a specimen  of  his  skill.  Such  effects  may  be  pro- 
duced indirectly  and  ultimately  by  the  minister,  but  in  gen- 
eral what  is  stately  and  imposing,  filling  the  eye  of  the  mil- 
lion, and  fit  to  be  celebrated  with  bonfires  and  illuminations, 
is  not  the  immediate  result  of  his  labors.  His  direct  in- 
fluence is  refined  and  inward.  It  is  upon  the  soul,  is  felt 
oftener  than  celebrated,  but  is  certainly  none  the  less  sub- 
lime because  of  its  intangible  value.  Not  seldom  is  it  too 
modest  to  be  even  discovered,  or  to  be  described  save  by  ne- 
gations. That  bad  men  are  no  worse  rather  than  that  good 
men  are  so  good  * that  moral  evil  stops  where  it  does  rather 
than  that  goodness  prevails  and  triumphs,  is  often  the  chief 
praise  of  the  clergyman’s  usefulness.  The  father  of  our 
country  displayed  his  generalship  not  so  much  in  his  victori- 
ous onset  upon  the  hostile  invaders,  as  in  preventing  their  de- 
predations upon  him  ; and  sometimes  a spiritual  shepherd 
has  had  no  success  in  aggressive  movements,  but  his  great 
and  only*honor  is  to  have  guarded  his  flock  from  the  wolves, 
and  to  say,  Those  that  thou  gavest  me  I have  kept^  and 
none  of  them  is  lost.”  We  wrong  the  good  man’s  ministry, 
when  we  disparage  it  for  its  want  of  positive  acquisitions. 
Bad  as  his  people  are,  no  one  can  tell  how  useful  he  has  been 
in  preventing  them  from  becoming  worse.  The  great  parade 
they  make  of  indifference  to  his  teaching  is  often  an  attempt 
to  hide  their  real  alarm,  and  they  are  restive  against  him  be- 
cause they  are  held  in  by  the  curb.  The  bravado  of  wicked 
men  is  often  a eulogium  upon  their  minister,  and  their  os- 


OF  THE  PREACHER  S WORK. 


17 


tentation  of  sin  comes  from  their  very  fear  of  doing  what  they 
boast  to  have  done,  and  from  an  unwillingness  to  let  any  one 
know  how  much  they  dread  the  reproofs  of  the  pulpit. 

The  preacher  has  an  influence  upon  the  intellect  of  his 
people.  He  presents  to  it  the  most  enlivening  and  enlarging 
thoughts  ; and  nothing  takes  so  deep  a hold  of  the  reasoning 
powers  as  the  series  of  proofs  which  he  may  enforce.  The 
mind  is  invigorated  by  grappling  with  the  objections  that  have 
been  urged  against  the  omniscience  and  goodness  of  God, 
the  responsibility  of  man,  the  whole  scheme  of  moral  govern- 
ment. A sermon,  if  it  be  in  good  faith  a sermon,  reaches  the 
very  elements  of  the  soul,  and  stirs  up  its  hidden  energies  ; 
for  such  a sermon  is  a message  from  God ; is  pregnant  with 
what  the  mind  was  made  for,  the  solemn  realities  of  eternity; 
is  prolific,  if  need  be,  in  stern  and  skilful  argument,  holds  out 
a rich  reward  to  man’s  desire  of  mental  progress,  and  allures 
as  well  as  urges  to  an  intense  love  of  study.  It  is  a book  of 
mental  discipline  to  its  hearers,  and  its  author  is  a school- 
master for  children  of  a larger  growth.  A late  professor  in 
one  of  our  universities,  who  has  been  famed  throughout  the 
land  for  his  effective  eloquence  at  the  bar,  and  on  the  floor  of 
Congress,  says  that  he  first  learned  how  to  reason  while  hear- 
ing the  sermons  of  a New  England  pastor,  who  began  to 
preach  before  he  had  studied  a single  treatise  on  style  or 
speaking ; and  two  or  three  erudite  jurists,  who  dislike  the 
theological  opinions  of  this  divine,  have  recommended  his 
sermons  to  law  students  as  models  of  logical  argument  and 
affording  a kind  of  gymnastic  exercise  to  the  mind.  It  is 
thus  that  one  of  the  most  modest  of  men,  while  writing  his 
plain  sermons,  w^as  exerting  a prospective  influence  over  our 
civil  and  judicial  tribunals.  The  pulpit  of  a country  village 
was  preparing  speeches  for  the  Congress  of  the  nation.  The 
discourses  and  treatises  of  such  divines  as  Chillingworth^  and 


^ “ Cliillingworth  is  the  writer,  whose  works  are  recommended  for 
the  exercitations  of  the  student.  Lord  Mansfield,  than  whom  there 
could  not  be  a more  competent  authority,  pronounced  him  to  be  a 
perfect  model  of  argumentation.  Archbishop  Tillotson  calls  him 
“ incomparable,  the  glory  of  his  age  and  nation.”  Locke  proposes 
“ for  the  attainment  of  right  reasoning,  the  constant  reading  of 
Chillingworth  : who  by  his  example,”  he  adds,  “will  teach  both 
perspicuity  and  the  way  of  right  reasoning,  better  than  any  book  that 
I know  ; and  therefore  will  deserve  to  be  read  upon  that  account 
over  and  over  again  ; not  to  say  anything  of  his  arguments.”  Lord 
Clarendon,  also,  who  was  particularly  intimate  with  him,  thus  cele- 


18 


DIGNITY  AND  IMFORTANCE 


Butler  have  been  often  kept  by  lawyers  and  statesmen,  on  the 
same  shelf  with  Euclid  and  Lacroix.  Patrick  Henry  lived 
from  his  eleventh  to  his  twenty-second  year  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Samuel  Davies,  and  is  said  to  have  been  stimulated  to 
his  masterly  efforts  by  the  discourses  of  him  who  has  been 
called  the  first  of  American  preachers.  He  often  spoke  of 
Davies  in  terms  of  enthusiastic  praise,  and  resembled  him  in 
some  characteristics  of  his  eloquence.^ 

The  minister’s  influence  is  upon  the  taste  as  well  as  intellect. 
There  is  a kind  of  mystic  union  among  all  the  virtues  and  ex- 
cellences of  the  head  and  heart.  A golden  chain  seems  to  bind 
them  together,  and  when  one  link  is  gained  all  the  rest  are 
drawn  along  with  it.  Thus  there  is  a strange  tie  between 
the  sense  of  right  and  the  sense  of  beauty,  between  the  good 
and  the  elegant.  The  preacher  holds  out  before  his  congre- 
gation the  choicest  models  of  all  that  can  please  the  taste ; 
of  that  spiritual  comeliness  which  is  the  archetype  of  what- 
ever is  graceful  and  refined  in  nature  or  art.  By  winning 
his  hearers  to  what  is  beautiful  and  grand  in  religious  truth, 
he  fosters  the  love  of  those  lower  excellences  that  are  but  the 
shadowings  forth  of  the  good  things  in  heaven.  In  many 
minds  he  cherishes  a taste  for  the  elegances  of  Addison  and 
Oray  and  Cowper  and  Wordsworth,  and  encourages  that 
sense  of  honor,  that  interest  in  heroic  deeds,  that  reverence 
for  genius  and  worth,  in  fine  all  those  amiable  sentiments 
which  are  allied  with  a due  appreciation  of  the  beauties  of 
nature  and  art. 


brates  his  rare  talents  as  a disputant : “ Mr.  Chillingworth  was  a man 
of  so  great  subtilty  of  understanding,  and  of  so  rare  a temper  in  de- 
bate, that  as  it  was  impossible  to  provoke  him  into  any  passion,  so  it 
was  very  difficult  to  keep  a man’s  self  from  being  a little  discomposed 
by  his  sharpness  and  quickness  of  argument  and  instances,  in  which 
he  had  a rare  facility  and  a great  advantage  over  all  the  men  I ever 
knevz.  He  had  spent  all  his  younger  time  in  disputation ; and  had 
arrived  at  so  great  a mastery,  as  he  was  inferior  to  no  man  in  these 
skirmishes.'’ — “ Chillingworth  has  been  named,  for  the  reasons  above 
assigned,  as  eminently  calculated  to  subserve  the  purposes  of  mental 
discipline,  for  the  student.  He  need  not,  however,  be  the  only  one. 
The  subtle  and  profound  reasonings  of  Bishop  Butler,  the  pellucid 
writings  of  Paley,  the  simplicity,  strength,  and  peTspicuity  of  Tillot- 
son,  iiiay  all  be  advantageously  resorted  to  by  the  student  anxious 
about  the  cultivation  of  his  reasoning  faculties.” — See  Warren's  Laic 
Studies^  § 153,  154,  160. 

^ See  Davies’s  Sermons,  vol.  I.  p.  xliv.  Stereotyped  Ed. 


OF  THE  PREACHER  S WORK. 


19 


Working  as  the  preacher  does  upon  the  mental  sensibili- 
ties, he  of  course  modifies  the  literary  character  of  a people. 
Whitefield  made  so  little  pretension  to  scholarship,  that  men 
often  smile  when  he  is  called  the  pioneer  of  a great  improve- 
ment in  the  literature  of  Britain.  They  overlook  the  mascu- 
line and  transforming  energy  of  the  religious  principle,  when 
stirred  up,  as  it  was,  by  his  preaching  against  the  pride  and 
indulgences  and  selfishness  of  men.  They  forget,  that  influ- 
ence often  works  from  the  lower  classes  upward ; and  that 
when  the  mass  of  men  become  intellectual,  the  higher  orders 
must  either  become  so,  or  must  yield  their  supremacy. 
Whatever  operates  deeply  on  the  soul  of  the  humblest  me- 
chanic, will  modify  the  character  of  the  popular  literature. 
The  sermons  of  a parish  minister  are  the  standard  of  taste  to 
many  in  his  society ; his  style  is  the  model  for  their  conver- 
sation and  writing ; his  provincial  and  outlandish  terms  they 
adopt  and  circulate ; and  his  mode  of  thinking  is  imitated  by 
the  school-teacher  and  the  mother,  the  merchant  and  the 
manufacturer.  You  can  see  the  effects  of  his  chaste  or  rude 
style  in  the  language  of  the  ploughboy  and  the  small  talk  of 
the  nursery.  He  has  more  frequent  communion  than  other 
literary  men  with  the  middle  classes  of  the  people,  and 
through  these  his  influence  extends  to  the  higher  and  the 
lower.  He  is  the  guardian  of  the  language  and  the  reading 
of  the  most  sedate  portions  of  society  ; and  in  their  families 
are  trained  the  men  of  patient  thought  and  accurate  scholar- 
ship. His  influence  on  the  popular  vocabulary  is  often  over- 
looked, and  is  not  always  the  same ; but  he  often  virtually 
stands  at  the  parish  gate,  to  let  in  one  book  and  keep  out 
another ; to  admit  certain  words  and  to  exclude  certain  phra- 
ses, and  to  introduce  or  discard  barbarisms,  solecisms,  im- 
propriety and  looseness  of  speech.  The  sermons  of  Leigh- 
ton, South,  Howe,  Bates,  Atterbury  and  Paley  show  some- 
what of  the  extent  to  which  the  literature  of  England  is  in- 
debted to  her  priesthood.  When  Lord  Chatham  was  asked  the 
secret  of  his  dignified  and  eloquent  style,  he  replied  that  he 
had  read  twice  from  beginning  to  end  Bayley’s  Dictionary, 
and  had  perused  some  of  Dr.  Barrow’s  sermons  so  often  that 
he  had  learned  them  by  heart.  Dryden  attributed  his  own 
accurate  knowledge  of  prose  writing,  to  the  frequent  perusal 
of  Tillotson’s  works.”  Addison  regarded  them  as  the  chief 
standard  of  our  language,  and  actually  projected  an  English 
dictionary  to  be  illustrated  with  particular  phrases  to  be  se- 


20 


DIGNITY  AND  IMPORTANCE 


lected  from  Tillotson’s  sermons.’^  ‘‘  There  is  a living  writ- 
er/^ said  Dugald  Stewart,  ‘‘  who  combines  the  beauties  of 
Johnson,  Addison  and  Burke,  without  their  imperfections. 
It  is  a dissenting  minister  of  Cambridge,  the  Rev.  Robert 
Hall.  Whoever  wishes  to  see  the  English  language  in  its 
perfection,  must  read  his  writings.’’  No  one  can  be  familiar 
with  the  style  of  Jeremy  Taylor  and  that  of  several  British 
essayists,  without  recognizing  his  influence  upon  them.  The 
tincture  of  his  phraseology  is  discernible  in  the  expressions 
of  Charles  Lamb  even.  The  character  of  Herbert’s  writings 
is  stamped  upon  those  of  Izaak  Walton,  and  the  insinuating 
power  of  Walton  upon  the  English  language  has  not  been, 
nor  will  it  be  inconsiderable.  By  the  influence  which  a min- 
ister’s own  mind  receives  from  his  habit  of  sermonizing,  and 
which  he  sends  forth  from  the  pulpit  and  from  the  fireside,  he 
often  raises  the  standaid  of  scholarship,  and  excites  the  youth 
in  his  society  to  a course  of  liberal  education.  Very  much 
through  the  instrumentality  of  a single  clergyman  living  in  a 
retired  part  of  Massachusetts,  thirty  young  men  of  his  parish 
were  trained  for  professional  life.  More  than  this  number 
have  gone  to  our  colleges  from  a single  religious  society  in 
New  Hampshire.  The  Rev.  Moses  Hallock,  of  Plainfield, 
Mass.,  prepared  about  a hundred  youth  for  college;  Dr. 
Wood,  of  Boscawen,  New  Hampshire,  prepared  the  same 
number,  and  among  them  his  two  parishioners,  Ezekiel  and 
Daniel  Webster.  A hundred  and  sixty-two  young  men  were 
educated  by  a plain  pastor  in  the  neighborhood  of  Boscawen, 
and  about  thirty  of  them  are  members  of  the  learned  profes- 
sions. Each  of  these  clergymen  will  long  live  in  his  pupils, 
and  whatever  may  have  been  his  own  literary  attainments, 
will  produce  and  has  produced,  a visible  effect  on  the  literary 
character  of  multitudes.  This  effect  was  not  indeed  pro- 
duced by  sermons  altogether,  but  in  some  degree;  not  mere- 
ly by  their  direct  influence  upon  the  auditor,  but  also  by  their 
reflex  operation  upon  the  preacher  himself.  His  appropri- 
ate work  inspires  and  prepares  him  for  subordinate  literary 
labors.  He  cannot  fitly  prepare  his  discourses  without  feel- 
ing a stimulus  to  labor  in  the  cause  of  general  education. 
From  his  habit  of  oral  address  he  derives  a certain  kind  of 
directness  and  energy  of  thought  and  expression,  which  qual- 
ify him  for  exerting  an  important  influence  from  the  press. 
Had  not  Martin  Luther  been  trained  for  and  in  the  pulpit, 
he  had  never  been  so  forceful  and  popular  in  his  written  es- 


OF  THE  preacher’s  WORK. 


21 


says.  It  was  in  no  small  degree  by  his  sermons  that  he  woke 
up  his  own  mind  and  that  of  his  countrymen.  The  litera- 
ture of  Germany  and  of  the  world  has  been  animated  and  en- 
riched by  the  results  of  his  preaching.  Who  can  estimate 
the  intellectual  influence  of  the  Bishop  of  Hippo  upon  his 
own  age  ; upon  the  Augustinian  and  other  monastic  orders 
of  succeeding  ages ; upon  John  Calvin,  and  through  him 
upon  Switzerland,  Holland,  and  by  the  intervention  of  John 
Knox  upon  Scotland,  England  and  America;  upon  Schlei- 
ermacher  and  through  him  upon  Germany.  It  is  not  too 
much  to  say,  that  Augustine  would  never  have  wielded  this 
power  over  the  race,  had  he  not  been  a preacher  ; for  his  sa- 
cred calling  stirred  up  the  depths  of  his  soul,  and  gave  him  a 
strength  and  completeness  of  character,  also  a venerableness 
of  name,  which  a mere  philosopher,  even  one  like  Aristotle 
can  seldom,  if  ever,  acquire. 

The  minister’s  influence  is  obvious  upon  the  morals  and 
business  of  a people.  He  touches  the  main-spring  of  the 
political  machine,  and  its  extremities  are  quickened.  Wak- 
ing up  the  intellect,  he  stimulates  to  enterprise.  Refining 
the  taste,  he  throws  an  air  of  neatness  over  the  parish.  He 
pleads  for  industry  and  method,  for  honest  dealing  and  tem- 
perate habits,  for  good  order  in  the  family,  and  school,  and 
State.  He  preaches  from  that  text  which  is  the  mother  of 
friendship  and  thrift,  “ Study  to  be  quiet  and  to  do  your  own 
business.”  He  infuses  new  vigor  into  the  counting-room, 
and  new  faithfulness  over  the  farm.  Where  the  true  preach- 
er is  at  work,  you  will  see  fruits  of  his  labor  in  even  roads 
and  strong  walls  and  thriving  arts  and  a wholesome  police ; 
but  where  the  doors  of  the  meeting-house  are  left  unhinged, 
and  the  windows  broken  out,  and  the  pulpit  is  given  up  to 
swallows’  nests  and  the  pews  to  sheep,  there  you  will  find  a 
listless  yeomanry  and  ragged  farms,  thin  schools  and  crowded 
bar-rooms.  The  history  of  a church  is  often  the  history  of  a 
town ; when  the  one  flourishes,  the  other  feels  its  influence. 
More  than  twenty  parishes  in  New  England  might  be  men- 
tioned, where  the  settlement  of  a faithful  pastor  was  the  pre- 
lude to  rapid  improvements  in  agriculture  and  trade,  the 
style  of  building  and  of  dress,  the  complexion  of  politics,  and 
the  whole  cast  of  character.  What  one  preacher  does  for  a 
parish,  thousands  do  for  the  nation.  To  the  complaint  that 
the  ministry  is  expensive,  we  may  reply  in  words  like  those 
of  Dr.  South,  ‘ The  money  given  for  preaching  must  be 


22 


DIGNITY  AND  IMPORTANCE. 


given  away,  if  not  for  churches,  then  for  more  gaols ; if  not 
for  houses  of  prevention,  then  for  new  houses  of  correction  ; 
and  it  is  as  good  economy  to  support  religious  teachers  as  to 
support  more  watchmen  and  busier  hangmen,  to  raise  new 
whipping-posts  and  pillories.  Even  the  history  of  the  name, 
clergyman,  illustrates  the  humane  relations  that  subsist  be- 
tween the  ministerial  office  and  the  literature,  the  morals, 
the  penal  code  of  the  community.  In  the  books  of  English 
law,  we  often  read  of  criminals  convicted  with  or  without  the 
benefit  of  clergy.  This  benefit  was  an  exemption  from  the 
kind  and  degree  of  punishment  prescribed  for  lay  offenders, 
and  the  exemption  was  once  extended  to  all  criminals  who 
could  read  and  write.  Still  it  retained  its  instructive  name, 
the  benefit  of  clergy,  because  nearly  all  who  had  any  ac- 
quaintance with  the  rudiments  of  education  were  clergymen, 
and  an  ability  to  read  was  a legal  sign  of  the  sacred  office. 
Hence  clergy,  scholars  and  clerks  were  convertible  terms  in 
the  old  English  style,  and  clerk  is  still  the  law-term  for  a 
preacher  of  the  gospel.  When  a man  was  convicted  of  felo- 
ny or  manslaughter,  he  was  put  to  read  in  a Latin  book,  of 
a Gothic  black  character,  and  if  the  ordinary  of  Newgate 
said,  legit  ut  clericus,  i.  e.  he  reads  like  a clerk,  he  was  only 
burned  in  the  hand  and  set  free ; otherwise  he  suffered  death 
for  his  crime.”  It  is  indeed  a sad  feature  of  past  ages,  that 
the  circumstance  of  having  received  a clerk’s  education, 
should  have  released  an  offender  from  the  punishment  which 
he  deserved  ; still  there  is  a pleasant  meaning  in  the  fact  that 
such  an  education  was  supposed  to  be  incompatible  with  the 
grossest  forms  of  sin,  and  that  the  term,  clergyman,  was  re- 
garded as  synonymous  with  the  words,  learned  and  good. 

It  must  be  admitted  that  atheists  are  more  frequently  found 
in  Christian  lands  than  in  any  other.  Where  the  true  religion 
is  known,  the  despisers  of  all  religion  are  the  most  numerous. 
Even  such  Pagan  philosophers  as  discarded  the  popular  faith, 
were  unwilling  to  injure  its  credit  with  the  mass  of  men. 
But  among  us  there  are  friends  of  universal  education  who 
decry  the  pulpit,  though  it  is  a great  educator  of  the  popu- 
lace; there  are  fervid  philanthropists  who  ridicule  the  mis- 
sionary, though  he  carries  the  blessedness  of  learning  to  the 
heathen ; and  the  founder  of  one  of  the  most  splendid  col- 
leges in  our  land  has  inserted  the  condition  in  his  will,  that 
no  clergyman  shall  step  his  foot  on  the  college  grounds. 
When  we  hear  Franklin  speak  so  often  in  praise  of  frugality 


OF  THE  PREACHER  S WORK. 


23 


and  industry,  and  other  virtues  that  derive  their  chief  support 
from  the  Bible  ; when  we  read  his  question  to  an  infidel  as- 
sociate, “ If  men  are  so  wicked  with  religion,  what  would 
they  be  without  it and  his  assertion  to  the  same  individual, 
that  the  great  majority  of  men  need  the  motives  of  religion 
to  restrain  them  from  vice;’’^  we  naturally  expect  to  find 
him  a reverential  advocate  of  the  preacher’s  office.  But  in 
his  letter  to  Whitefield  he  says,  “ Now-a-days  we  have  scarce 
a little  parson  that  does  not  think  it  the  duty  of  every  man 
within  his  reach  to  sit  under  his  petty  ministrations,  and 
that  whoever  neglects  them,  offends  God.  1 wish  to  such 
more  humility. ”2  And  we,  in  return,  wish  more  consistency 
to  our  great  men.  Why  eulogize  the  end  and  sneer  at  the 
means  ? Why  praise  virtue  in  the  general  and  contemn  it 
in  its  brightest  particular?  Our  manufacturers  say,  that  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel  makes  better  cotton-spinners;  our 
landlords,  that  it  makes  better  tenants : our  physicians  for 
the  insane,  that  it  hastens  the  recovery  of  the  diseased  in 
mind  ; our  friends  of  temperance  and  of  social  reform,  that  it 
affords  efficient  aid  in  every  good  work.  A political  econo- 
mist may  easily  perceive,  that  the  want  of  teachers  of  the 
truth  in  Gomorrah  must  have  diminished  the  value  of  houses 
and  lands  in  that  doomed  city,  and  that  the  kingdoms  of  an- 
cient times  would  have  been  less  unquiet  and  transient,  if  they 
had  been  under  the  influence  of  a well  read  and  an  instruc- 
tive priesthood.  On  the  lowest  principle,  then,  of  a calcu- 
lating patriotism,  how  can  a Jefferson  allow  himself  to  neg- 
lect, still  more  to  deride  the  pulpit,  to  which  his  own  country, 
more  than  any  other,  owes  her  political  salvation.  How 
suicidal  the  policy  of  Lord  Chesterfield,  and  other  devotees 
of  an  elegant  literature,  who  delight  in  sneering  at  the  very 
office  that  creates  a demand  for  all  of  enduring  value  in  their 
writings,  and  without  which  there  will  remain  but  little  of 
healthy  politeness,  or  of  sound  letters  in  Christendom.  As 
we  read  of  an  eminent  teacher’s  being  accustomed  to  remark, 
‘‘  Give  me  the  religion  of  a country,  and  I will  tell  you  all 
the  rest so  we  may  add,  the  whole  character  of  a people 
depends,  far  more  than  is  commonly  recognized,  upon  the 
teachings  of  the  pulpit ; and  the  man  who  airns  to  under- 
mine rather  than  regulate  the  influence  of  the  sacred  office 

^ Franklin’s  Works,  Phil.  Ed.  Vol.  6.  p.  244. 

2 Franklin’s  Works,  Phil.  Ed.  Vol.  6.  p.  36. 


24 


DIGNITY  AND  IMPORTANCE 


is  not,  so  far  forth,  an  intelligent  friend  of  the  State.  Had 
Robespierre  been  as  circumspect  as  Napoleon,  he  would 
never  have  been  inimical  to  preachers  as  a class,  but,  at 
least,  would  have  encouraged  all  such  as  feared  him.  Buon- 
aparte restored  the  pulpit  to  France,  because  he  could  not 
sustain  his  dominion  without  it.  He  saw  that  the  ministra- 
tions of  the  sanctuary  exert  so  radical  an  influence  upon  the 
common  style  of  thinking,  speaking  and  acting,  as  to  pro- 
duce an  inevitable  effect  upon  the  political  character  of  men. 
There  always  has  been,  there  always  will  be,  there  always 
must  be  a kind  of  union  between  the  church  and  the  State, 
the  latter  deriving  health  and  soundness  from  the  former. 
Hence  in  all  civil  revolutions,  the  insurgents  have  opposed 
the  established  hierachy  as  a main  support  of  the  obnoxious 
Government,  and  the  friends  of  the  Government  have  been 
afraid  to  lose  the  assistance  of  the  clergy.  The  history  of  the 
American  pulpit  during  the  war  for  national  independence, 
affords  an  instructive  comment  on  the  power  of  the  preached 
Gospel  to  make  men  valiant  for  truth  and  right,  timid  in  the 
defence  of  wrong,  humane  to  their  enemies,  faithful  to  their 
friends,  obedient  to  the  powers  that  are  ordained  of  God,  but 
resolute  in  resisting  all  such  encroachments  as  are  contrary 
to  the  will  of  Heaven.  The  opposers  of  our  revolution  as- 
cribed it,  in  no  small  degree,  to  the  character  of  the  religion 
of  our  fathers.  It  was  a religion  which  gave  great  promi- 
nence to  the  pulpit,  and  made  the  clergyman  a teacher  more 
than  a priest,  and  made  the  layman  an  intelligent  citizen 
rather  than  a passive  subject.  The  spirit  of  an  ecclesiasti- 
cal organization  becomes  effective  in  the  character  and  in 
the  discourses  of  its  ministers  ; hence  have  monarchists  been 
often  fearful  of  the  Genevan  church-polity,  which  ‘‘  breathes 
an  innate  antipathy  to  kings.’’  They  have  feared  the  ten- 
dency of  this  system,  as  it  affects  the  tone  of  the  pulpit,  to 
awaken  thoughtfulness,  self  respect,  manly  purposes,  vigor- 
ous activity.  Dryden  in  his  poem  of  The  Hind  and  the 
Panther,  thus  complains  of  the  alliance  between  the  eccle- 
siastical system  of  Calvin  and  democratic  institutions  : 

“ But  as  the  poisons  of  the  deadliest  kind 
Are  to  their  own  unhappy  coasts  confined  ; 

So  Presbyt’ry  and  pestilential  zeal 
Can  flourish  only  in  a Commonweal.” 

But  let  us  take  higher  ground.  The  preacher  has  been 
shown  to  exert  an  influence  upon  the  perceptions,  the  tastes, 


OF  THE  preacher’s  work.  25 

ilie  business,  the  morals  and  politics  of  a community.  Ilis 
great  effect,  however,  is  produced  upon  the  religious  charac- 
ter. We  shall  not  be  suspected  of  implying  that  he  trans-- 
forms  the  heart  without  the  special  interposition  of  the  Holy 
Ghost;  and  yet  there  is  a sense  in  which  a dependent  apos- 
tle may  declare,  ‘‘  I have  begotten  you  through  the  gospel.” 
Although  the  soul  is  in  its  nature  percipient,  yet  when  it  has 
been  quickened  by  the  instructions  of  the  man  of  God,  it  ex- 
claims, “ Whereas  I was  once  blind,  I now  see.”  Although 
its  very  essence  is  to  feel  and  act,  it  may  still  be  so  much  an- 
imated by  the  preacher’s  words  as  to  confess,  “ I was  dead’ 
but  am  alive  again ; was  buried  in  sin  but  am  risen,  and  now 
walk  in  newness  of  life.”  Love  to  God,  penitence  for  trans- 
gression, faith  in  Christ,  and  the  specific  virtues  involved  in 
these,  are  the  noblest  attainments  of  the  soul  ; they  are  essen-^ 
tial  to  the  harmony  between  the  intellectual  and  the  moral 
nature,  and  without  them  man  can  never  gain  his  appropriate 
honor  and  strength.  But  these  are  the  qualities  which  the 
minister  aims  to  call  forth,  and  which  are  seldom  manifested 
in  the  life  of  such  as  are  not  hearers  of  the  word.  Pain,  the 
evil  which  ail  men  would  avoid,  and  by  the  fear  of  which 
they  are  hurried  into  the  very  courses  which  end  in  what  they 
dread,  can  be  ultimately  averted  only  by  yielding  to  persua- 
sives like  those  of  the  preached  gospel.  Happiness,  the  first 
thing  which  man  desires,  and  the  love  of  which  is  essential  to 
him  as  a voluntary  agent,  can  be  ultimately  attained  through 
the  influence  of  such  truth  only  as  is  declared  from  the  pulpit. 
Not  his  own  happiness  alone  does  the  minister  secure,  but 
that  of  his  neighbor  also;  not  mere  animal  or  intellectual 
happiness  but  spiritual ; not  for  a day  or  a life  but  for  eterni- 
ty; not  merely  eternal  but  eternally  increasing.  He  pro- 
cures this  inward,  immortal  and  ever-augmenting  bliss  for  a 
soul  that  would  otherwise  endure  an  inward  and  ever-increas- 
ing misery.  It  is  not  one  soul  only  that  he  benefits,  nor  two, 
nor  twenty,  but  perhaps  a hundred  ; and  a hundred  eterni- 
ties otherwise  spent  in  the  darkness  that  no  light  cheers,  are 
now  spent  in  the  paradise  of  God.  Of  the  hundred  immor- 
tals thus  transformed  by  the  means  of  a single  preacher,  who 
knows  but  some  one  may  be  an  instrument  of  interminable 
good  to  a hundred  more ; may  be  a Fuller,  or  a Payson,  or  a 
Harlan  Page,  or  a Mrs.  Judson?  Is  it  not  a moderate  cal- 
culation, that  a hundred  faithful  disciples  will  exert  an  influ- 
ence which  God  will  bless  to  the  spiritual  welfare  of  at  least 
3 


26 


DIGNITY  AND  IMPORTANCE 


two  hundred  of  their  fellow-men,  their  kindred  or  friends  for 
whom  they  toil  and  pray ; each  one  on  an  average  bringing 
two  additional  talents  into  the  sacred  treasury  ? And  these 
two  hundred  Christians  may  impart,  as  parents  do  impart  in 
a kind  of  legacy^  their  religious  character  to  their  children, 
and  a thousand  of  their  children's  children  may  labor,  each 
one  in  his  own  circle,  for  the  renovation  of  other  souls. 
Each  one  in  his  own  circle  of  friends,  and  here  are  a thou- 
sand different  circles,  and  each  member  of  each  of  these  cir- 
cles has  a separate  band  of  his  own  associates,  and  the  influ- 
ence thus  branches  out  into  a new  sphere,  and  will  continue 
to  widen  and  amplify  and  to  include  still  other  multitudes. 
It  is  well  to  reflect  minutely  on  the  manner  in  which  influ- 
ence is  propagated,  filling  one  area  after  another,  transmit- 
ted from  a few  ancestors  to  a numerous  posterity,  and  flow- 
ing on  like  a stream  broader  and  deeper,  till  it  becomes  a mys- 
tery how  such  great  effects  can  result  from  a cause  so  limit- 
ed. Nor  should  we  confine  our  view  to  the  gradual  and 
ceaseless  propagation  of  the  influence  which  the  minister  may 
have  exerted  durinof  his  life.  We  should  also  consider  the 
new  impressions  which  are  often  produced  by  his  printed 
works,  long  after  his  death.  The  trains  of  moral  cause  and 
effect  which  he  started  by  his  living  voice,  are  not  only  con- 
tinued for  ages,  but  his  published  discourses  are  setting  orig- 
inal trains  in  motion ; and  as  the  author  of  written  sermons, 
he  sometimes  gives  an  impulse  to  more  minds  than  he  affect- 
ed by  his  spoken  words.  Many  a clergyman  never  dies.  If 
his  name  were  forgotten,  he  would  still  be  producing  effects 
of  which  he  is  not  recognized  as  the  cause ; but  sometimes 
a clergyman,  like  Chrysostom,  lives  and  preaches,  generation 
after  generation,  among  a larger  community  of  readers,  than 
he  ever  orally  addressed ; and  in  addition  to  the  good  that 
flows  from  the  multitude  who  were  benefitted  by  his  life,  is  a 
still  greater  good  that  is  constantly  springing  up  in  minds 
conversant  with  his  posthumous  sermons.  He  is  still  begin- 
ning to  put  in  train  systems  of  moral  influence  which  are  en- 
tirely distinct  from  the  systems  originated  upon  the  minds  of 
his  contemporaries,  and  continued,  by  the  natural  laws  of 
transmission  and  expansion,  from  one  age  to  another  of  their 
posterity. 

Seldom  has  the  pulpit  been  honored  with  a great  man,  who 
composed  and  uttered  his  discourses  in  so  clumsy  and  awk- 
ward a style  as  Dr.  Samuel  Hopkins.  It  was  the  burden  of 


OF  THE  preacher’s  work. 


27 


his  daily  complaint  that  he  had  so  little  success  in  the  minis- 
try, and  he  is  now  often  mentioned  as  a pious  divine  who 
added  but  little  to  the  stock  of  public  virtue.  But  let  us  glance 
at  the  effects  produced  by  this  unsuccessful  ” laborer.  What- 
ever may  have  been  the  extent  of  bis  indebtedness  to  the  manu- 
scripts of  President  Edwards,  which  were  left  in  his  posses- 
sion, he  has  certainly  done  much  toward  moulding  the  theo- 
logical character  ofNew  England.  By  his  System  of  Divin- 
ity,^ his  four  religious  biographies,  and  his  ten  additional 
publications,  he  has  given  an  impulse  to  many  who  have  been 
esteemed  more  useful  than  himself.  Dr.  Jonathan  Edwards 
ascribed  his  own  speculative  conviction  of  the  truth  to  the 
reasoning  of  Hopkins.  A pastor  of  one  of  the  largest  church- 
es in  Massachusetts,  who  was  extensively  admired  for  his 
rich  and  varied  eloquence,  who  was  honored  as  an  instrument 
of  many  religious  revivals,  in  one  of  which  more  than  a hun- 
dred persons  were  gathered  into  the  fold  of  his  church,  who 
was  withal  somewhat  eminent  as  a theological  instructor  and 
controversialist,  and  who  has  now  several  descendants  in  the 
ministry,  was  converted  to  the  truth  by  the  blessing  of  heav- 
en upon  the  labors  of  Hopkins.  And  there  was  another  di- 
vine, who  owed  his  renovation  to  the  same  instrumentality: 
— a divine  whose  acquaintance  was  sought  and  prized  by  the 
most  eminent  theologians  in  our  own  land,  and  by  some  in 
England  ; — a polished  gentleman,  who  was  said  by  his  parish- 
ioner, Judge  Sedgwick,  to  be  sure  of  silencing  with  his  ur- 
banity of  manner  those  who  were  not  convinced  by  his  lo- 
gic.” For  more  than  fifty-nine  years  he  retained  the  pasto- 
ral care  of  a people  among  whom  Edwards  had  written  his 
treatise  on  the  Will,  in  whose  cultivated  village  lived  six 
judges  of  our  courts,  and  from  whose  intellectual  circle  there 
have  come  forth  one  president  of  Cambridge  University,  one 
president,  as  well  as  the  original  founder  of  Williams  Col- 
lege. He  wrote  and  preached  more  than  three  thousand  ser- 
mons, published  nineteen  books,  some  of  standard  value. 
His  reputation  as  a theological  teacher  is  illustrated  by  the 
fact,  that  on  the  list  of  his  divinity  students  are  found  the 


^ Hopkins’s  System  of  Divinity  was  written  for  the  pulpit,  and  was 
preached  before  it  was  reduced  to  its  present  form.  In  like  manner 
were  many  of  the  best  works  comprising  our  religious  literature,  orig- 
inaliv  sermons  ; as  Edwards's  History  of  Redemption,  Hail’s  Contem- 
plations, several  well-known  commentaries  on  the  Bible,  and  even 
polemical  treatises. 


28 


DIGNITY  AND  IMPORTANCE 


names  of  President  Kirkland,  Dr.  Hyde,  Dr.  Catlin  and  Dr. 
Samuel  Spring.  During  his  pastoral  life  he  was  active  in 
six  different  revivals  of  religion  among  his  people,  and  he  ad- 
mitted to  his  church  three  hundred  and  eighty-four  persons 
from  the  world,  and  one  hundred  and  twenty  from  other 
churches.  He  died  with  the  title  of  patriarch  of  his  neigh- 
borhood,'’ and  the  seeds  which  he  scattered  are  still  bearing 
fruit.  In  the  extended  usefulness,  then,  of  these  two  divines 
both  of  whom  were  so  largely  indebted  to  Dr.  Hopkins,  we 
see  a portion  of  the  results  of  his  labors.  In  the  churches 
where  their  influence  will  long  remain  ; in  the  churches  of 
which  he  himself  was  the  pastor,  he  has  been  and  still  is  en- 
larging the  intellect  and  purifying,  through  grace,  the  affec- 
tions of  men.  He  saw,  at  the  least,  a hundred  of  his  own  parish- 
ioners subscribe  with  their  own  hands  to  be  the  Lord’s,  and 
he  started  more  than  a hundred  circles,  which  will  widen  and 
expand  upon  the  lake,  wave  following  after  wave,  silently 
pursuing  in  all  future  time,  but  never  overtaking  each  oth- 
er, and  never  letting  the  sheet  of  waters  become  stagnant. 
And  if  this  is  the  influence  of  an  unsuccessful  minister,  what 
will  be  that  of  a successful  one?  At  the  last  day,  what  a 
throng  of  witnesses  will  there  be  to  the  effect  of  John  New- 
ton’s ministrations.  We  are  now  feeling  this  effect  in  the 
hymns  of  Cowper,  in  the  writings  of  Buchanan,  who  owed 
his  religious  character  to  the  instrumentality  of  Newton, 
writings  which  are  said  to  have  first  awakened  the  missiona- 
ry spirit  of  our  own  Judson;  in  the  works  of  Dr.  Scott,  an- 
other monument  of  Newton’s  fidelity,  and  a spiritual  guide 
to  hundreds  of  preachers  and  thousands  of  laymen  ; in  the 
words  and  deeds  of  Wilberforce  who  ascribed  a large  share 
of  his  own  usefulness  to  the  example  and  counsels  of  the 
same  spiritual  father.  Edmund  Burke  on  his  death-bed  sent 
an  expression  of  his  thanks  to  Mr.  Wilberforce  for  writing 
the  Practical  Christianity,  a treatise  which  Burke  spent  the 
last  two  days  of  his  life  in  perusing,  and  from  which  he  con- 
fessed himself  to  have  derived  much  profit  p a treatise  which 
has  reclaimed  hundreds  of  educated  men  from  irreligion,  but 
which  would  probably  never  have  been  what  it  now  is,  had 
not  its  author  been  favored  with  Newton’s  advice  and  sympa- 
thy. What  shall  we  predict  as  the  ultimate  result  of  White- 
field’s  more  than  eighteen  thousand  addresses  from  the  pul- 


^ See  Life  of  Wilberforce,  Am.  Ed.  p.  J83. 


OF  THE  preacher’s  WORK. 


29 


pit,  and  of  the  impulse  which  he  gave  to  the  activity  of  the 
whole  church,  friends  and  foes,  in  America  and  Britain? 
His  power  was  felt  by  Hume,  Bolingbroke,  Foote,  Chester- 
field, Garrick,  Rittenhouse,  Franklin,  Erskine  and  Edwards; 
by  the  miners  and  colliers  and  fishermen  of  England,  the 
paupers  and  slaves  and  Indians  of  America.  “ Had  White- 
field  never  been  at  Cambuslang,  Buchanan,  humanly  speak- 
ing, might  never  have  been  at  Malabar.”  When,  too,  will 
cease  the  influence  of  Payson’s  pulpit;  for  we  read  that  du- 
ring his  ministry  of  twenty  years,  interrupted  by  frequent 
sicknesses,  he  admitted  to  the  communion-table  more  than 
seven  hundred  who  had  never  previously  separated  themselves 
from  the  thoughtless  multitude.  There  are  men  now  upon 
the  stage,  who  trace  generation  after  generation  of  their  own 
spiritual  children  rising  up  and  cheering  the  religious  com- 
munity. William  Jay  began  to  preach  the  gospel  before  he 
was  sixteen  years  old;  he  delivered  nearly  a thousand  ser- 
mons before  he  had  passed  his  minority  ; for  more  than  fifty 
years  he  has  held  the  pastoral  office  at  Bath,  and  been  hon- 
ored there  with  numerous  proofs  of  his  usefulness;  among 
those  who  have  been  radically  improved  by  his  discourses, 
are  the  founder  of  Spring  Hill  College,  the  martyred  mission- 
ary Williams,  and  several  living  preachers;  his  practical 
writings  have  been  the  comfort  of  hundreds  of  families  morn- 
ing and  evening  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic,  and  long  after 
he  shall  have  ceased  to  speak  in  audible  language  for  God, 
will  he  continue  his  silent  ministrations  to  those  who  may 
survive  him.  If  the  Christian  scholar  would  meditate  often 
on  this  diffusive  nature  of  truth  and  goodness,  on  the  inhe- 
rent value  of  even  one  mind,  in  its  influence  over  its  contem- 
poraries, and  still  more  over  succeeding  generations,  an  in- 
fluence which  is  inevitable,  resulting  from  our  sympathetic 
nature;  if  he  would  follow  this  widening  train  of  moral 
causes  through  time  to  the  judgment,  when  a single  soul 
shall  be  revealed  as  the  spiritual  benefactor  of  millions,  he 
would  then  easily  explain  the  words  of  an  old  English  arch- 
bishop and  keeper  of  the  seals,^  “ I have  passed  through  ma- 
ny places  of  honor  and  trust,  both  in  church  and  State,  more 
than  any  of  my  order  in  England  for  seventy  years  before. 
But  were  I assured  that  by  my  preaching  I had  converted 
but  one  soul  to  God,  I should  herein  take  more  comfort  than 


^ John  Williams. 

3* 


30 


DIGNITY  AND  IMPORTANCE 


ill  all  the  honors  and  offices  that  have  been  bestowed  upon 
me.”  lie  that  converteth  one  soul  from  the  error  of  its  way, 
shall  not  only  save  that  being  from  death,  but  shall  hide  a 
great  multitude  that  no  man  can  number  of  the  sins  of  others. 

The  dignity  and  importance  of  the  preacher’s  work  may  be 
illustrated  by  the  short  time  which  it  demands  for  securing 
an  immense  good.  It  operates  with  the  most  powerful  of  in- 
struments, moral  truth  ; upon  the  most  susceptible  substances, 
the  intellect,  heart,  will ; with  the  special  aid  of  the  Divine 
Spirit,  who  often  accomplishes  extensive  good  by  very  limited 
means.  From  the  laws  of  our  nature,  that  a sentiment  once 
communicated  to  the  soul  is  never  wholly  effaced  ; that  it 
cannot  be  coiffined  to  the  spirit  wffiich  still  retains  it,  but  will 
be  expressed  in  varied  forms,  sometimes  without  design  but 
always  with  effect  ; that  moral  influence  is  diffusive  and  ex- 
pansive, diverging  from  a single  point  and  pervading  a wide 
area,  and  never  ending  even  when  ages  end ; from  such  laws 
as  these  it  follows,  that  when  a preacher  makes  a good  im- 
pression upon  one  man,  woman  or  child,  he  benefits  indirect- 
ly a multitude,  and  wffien  he  produces  the  slightest  change  in 
their  character,  he  produces  what  will  never  terminate,  but 
will  always  increase.  In  a single  discourse  he  may  put  in 
operation  a system  of  causes  which  will  result  in  the  moral 
renovation  of  thousands  who  never  heard  his  name.  On  a 
certain  Sabbath  about  the  year  1642,  an  obscure  and  un- 
polished clergyman  from  the  country  supplied  the  pulpit  of 
Edmund  Calamy,  the  noted  London  divine.  When  the 
congregation  were  apprized  that  their  favorite  preacher  was 
not  to  address  them,  many  of  them  left  the  house.  There 
was  a young  man,  a stranger  in  the  metropolis,  who  had 
come  up  to  h^ear  Mr.  Calamy,  and  being  disappointed  in  his 
expectation  was  entreated  ‘‘  to  go  and  hear  Mr.  Jackson,  a 
man  of  prodigious  application  as  a scholar,  and  of  considera- 
ble celebrity  as  a preacher.”  But  the  young  man  was  an  in- 
valid, and  was  unwilling  to  walk  further.  He  had  been  for 
five  years  in  deep  despondency  of  mind  ; he  had  at  one  sea- 
son avoided  almost  all  intercourse  with  men  for  three  months  ; 
he  ‘‘  could  scarcely  be  induced  to  speak,  and  when  he  did 
say  anything  it  was  in  so  disordered  a manner  as  rendered 
him  a wonder  to  many.”  The  discourse  of  the  country 
clergyman  was  from  the  words.  Why  are  ye  so  fearful.  Oh  ye 
of  little  faith.  Malt.  8 : 26.  It  was  a healing  balm  to  this 
youthful  invalid.  It  was  a prominent  means  of  relieving  him 


OF  THE  preacher’s  WORK. 


31 


from  his  moral,  mental,  and  thereby  of  his  corporeal  mala- 
dies. lie  began  a life  of  new  Christian  activity  as  well  as  of 
new  contidence  and  joy;  he  acquired  an  extensive  influence 
both  in  church  and  State  ; for  five  years  he  held  the  office  of 
Vice  Chancellor  in  Oxford  University,  and  for  nine  years  the 
office  next  to  this  in  literary  importance  ; be  numbered  among 
his  pupils  John  Locke,  William  Penn,  Dr.  South,  Dr.  Whit- 
by, Sir  Christopher  Wren  and  Launcelot  Addison,  father  of 
the  celebrated  Essayist;  he  published  during  his  life  seven 
folio  volumes,  twenty-one  quartos,  thirty  octavos,  and  is  still 
revered  as  a kind  of  prince  and  oracle  among  divines.  It 
was  John  Owen,  who  thus  ascribed  his  religious  health  and 
much  of  his  usefulness  to  a single  sermon.  He  was  never 
able  to  find  out  the  residence  or  even  the  name  of  the  man  to 
whose  words  he  owed  his  freedom  from  a wasting  melancholy. 
It  seemed  as  if  a spirit  from  a land  of  mysteries  had  touched 
him,  and  straightway  vanished  into  heaven.  But  though  we 
cannot  ascertain  who  was  the  instrument  of  this  eventful  cure, 
we  know  that  the  word  of  God  healeth  all  diseases  of  the 
mind,  and  a single  application  of  it  may  revive  the  spirit  of 
him  who  is  to  be  the  physician  of  many  souls. 

One  of  the  most  effective  discourses  noticed  by  modern 
historians,  was  preached  at  the  Kirk  of  Shotts  in  1630,  by 
John  Livingston, an  ancestor  of  the  well  known  family  who  bear 
that  surname  in  our  own  land.  He  was  at  that  time  chaplain 
to  the  Countess  of  Wigtoun,  was  licensed  but  not  ordained 
as  a minister,  and  was  only  twenty-seven  years  of  age.  His 
discourse  is  thus  alluded  to  by  Rev.  Mr.  Fleming  of  Cam- 
buslang  ; “ I can  speak  on  sure  ground,  that  near  five  hun- 
dred had  at  that  time  a discernible  change  wrought  in  them, 
of  whom  most  proved  to  be  lively  Christians  afterwards.  It 
was  the  sowing  of  a seed  through  Clyddisdale,  so  that  some 
of  the  most  eminent  Christians  in  that  country  could  date 
either  their  conversion,  or  some  remarkable  confirmation  of 
their  case  from  that  day.”  The  religious  interest,  resulting 
from  this  single  effort  of  a youthful  licentiate,  extended 
throughout  the  west  of  Scotland,  and  among  the  inhabitants 
of  the  north  of  Ireland,  and  terminated  in  the  moral  improve- 
ment of  thousands  who,  but  for  the  sympathy  excited  by  this 
discourse,  might  have  remained  indifferent  to  the  claims  of 
virtue. 

Similar  effects  were  produced  by  a sermon  of  President 
Edwards,  preached  July  8,  1741,  at  Enfield,  Connecticut.  It 


32 


DIGNITY  AND  IMPORTANCE 


gave  a great  impulse  to  the  powerful  religious  movement 
which  began,  about  that  time,  to  engross  the  attention  of  the 
American  churches,  and  which  is  supposed  to  have  resulted 
in  nearly  thirty  thousand  instances  of  spiritual  reformation. 
During  the  delivery  of  the  sermon  the  auditors  groaned  and 
shrieked  convulsively,  and  their  outcries  of  distress  drowned 
the  preacher’s  voice,  and  forced  him  to  make  a long  pause. 
His  text  was,  Their  foot  shall  slide  in  due  time,  Deut.  32  : 
35  ; and  at  a certain  instance  of  his  repeating  these  words, 
some  of  the  audience  seized  fast  hold  of  the  pillars  and  braces 
of  the  meeting-house,  they  felt  so  sensibly  that  their  feet  were 
sliding  at  the  very  moment  into  ruin.  A large  number  of 
the  most  influential  of  the  hearers  gave  themselves  no  rest, 
till  they  had  planted  their  feet  on  the  sure  ways  of  Zion. 
That  discourse,  which  then  alarmed  hundreds  of  the  citizens 
of  Enfield  and  the  adjoining  towns,  has  been  preached  again 
and  again  to  the  social  circle,  and  the  fireside  group  in  this 
and  other  lands,  and  it  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  new 
monuments  of  its  efficacy  are  rising  up  every  year. 

Nor  is  it  only  by  a single  discourse  that  such  great  effects 
are  produced ; it  is  sometimes  by  a single  sentence  in  that 
discourse.  The  very  first  clause  of  a sermon  may  seize  the 
attention  of  some  leading  mind,  and  may  never  cease  its 
transforming  efficacy  until  that  mind  becomes  an  efficient 
advocate  for  God.  Some  plain  statement,  made  without  any 
anticipation  of  its  peculiar  consequences,  is  often  referred  to 
by  a grateful  convert  as  the  point  on  which  his  destiny  was 
suspended.  Many  instances  are  on  record  of  a permanent 
transformation,  wrought  by  the  remembrance  of  a word  with 
its  accompanying  gesture  and  look.  “ Oh,  my  hearers,  the 
wrath  to  come  ! the  wrath  to  come  !” — these  were  the  abrupt 
clauses  that  fell  from  the  lips  of  an  eminent  orator,  and  fell 
in  such  a way  as  to  sink  like  lead  into  the  heart  of  one 
youth,  who  could  not  rest  until  he  had  become  qualified  for 
a useful  station  in  the  Christian  ministry.  “ God  only  is 
great,”  were  the  words  of  Massilon,  and  all  his  hearers  rose 
and  reverently  bowed.  “ Oh  eternity  ! Oh  eternity  ! Oh 
eternity !”  were  the  closing  words  of  a discourse  from  M. 
Bridaine,  and  they  seemed  to  concentrate  into  one  sudden 
view  the  whole  subject  that  had  been  discussed,  and  the  au- 
dience were  melted  down,  and  not  a few  permanently  hum- 
bled. 

If  the  students  of  moral  history  were  as  watchful  as  the 


OF  THE  Treacher’s  work. 


33 


students  of  nature,  they  would  often  trace  the  influence  of 
a phrase  over  such  an  extent  of  space  and  time,  that  it  would 
excite  our  wonder  and  be  gazed  at  like  a lusus  naturae.  As 
we  find  the  remains  of  fishes  on  mountains  and  deserts,  so 
we  may  discover  the  effects  of  a spoken  word  where  we 
would  almost  as  soon  have  looked  for  the  identical  breath 
with  which  the  word  was  uttered.  Botanists  have  admired 
the  wise  provision  of  nature  for  the  dissemination  of  seeds. 
The  embryo  plant  is  encircled  with  gossamer  and  swept  by 
the  wind  over  streams  and  wastes,  and  comes  up  in  a strange 
land.  And  so  a pithy  remark  is  appended,  as  it  were,  to  a 
tuft  of  down,  and  brings  forth  its  fruit  far  away  from  where 
it  was  first  uttered.  There  was  a native  of  Dartmouth,  Eng- 
land, a member  of  the  trained  band  of  Charles  the  First,  who 
was  present  at  the  beheading  of  that  monarch,  had  some  ac- 
quaintance with  Oliver  Cromwell,  and  subsequently  found 
his  way  to  Massachusetts,  and  lived  first  in  the  merchants’ 
service  at  Marblehead,  and  afterwards  on  a farm  in  Middle- 
borough.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  years,  while  yet  in  his  native 
land,  he  heard  the  pious  Flavel  preach  from  the  text,  ‘‘If  any 
man  love  not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  let  him  be  anathema 
maranatha;  and  at  the  age  of  a hundred  years,  while  sitting 
in  his  field  at  Middleborough,  he  recalled  the  sermon  that  he 
had  heard  eighty-five  years  before,  and  the  scenes  that  en- 
sued when  Flavel  dismissed  the  auditory.  He  vividly  re- 
membered the  solemn  appearance  of  the  preacher  rising  to 
pronounce  the  benediction,  then  pausing,  and  at  length  ex- 
claiming with  a piteous  tone,  “ How  shall  I bless  this  wLole 
assembly,  when  every  person  in  it  who  loveth  not  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  is  anathema  maranatha.”  This  sinner  of  a 
hundred  years  became  at  length  alarmed  by  his  reminiscence, 
and  particularly  by  the  fact  that  no  minister  had  ever  bless- 
ed him.  He  pondered  on  that  closing  remark  of  Flavel ; 
and  at  the  beginning  of  the  second  century  of  his  life  gave 
evidence  to  the  church  that  he  was  worthy  to  be  enrolled 
among  her  members.  He  began  to  address  pious  counsel  to 
his  children,  and  adorned  his  profession  fifteen  years,  when 
he  went  to  receive  the  benediction  of  God.  His  sepulchre 
remaineth  with  us,  and  his  dwelling-spot  is  remembered  to 
this  day.  The  moral  of  his  epitaph  is  that  a phrase  dropped 
into  the  mind  of  a lad  on  one  continent  and  in  one  century, 
may  lie  buried  long  in  dust,  and  then  spring  up  'and  bear 
fruit  on  another  continent  and  in  another  century,  and  be 


34 


DIGNITY  AND  IMPORTANCE 


destined  to  perpetual  remembrance.  Such  instances  remind 
us  that  a thousand  hallowed  associations  cluster  around  the 
preacher  ; that  his  words  come  with  power,  not  as  his  words 
but  those  of  God ; that  they  borrow  efficacy  from  the  house, 
the  time,  the  whole  scene  of  their  utterance,  and  are  retain- 
ed in  the  memory  long  after  they  seem  to  be  lost.  A move- 
ment of  the  arm  or  eye  has  often  a meaning  in  the  pulpit 
which  it  has  nowhere  else ; for  it  is  enveloped  there  with 
new  means  of  suggestion,  and  is  witnessed  by  men  of  ex- 
cited, quick-moving  sensibilities.  The  preacher  stands  like 
one  insulated  and  charged  with  the  electric  fluid;  the  touch 
is  now  startling,  which  a few  minutes  ago  was  like  the  touch 
of  a common  man.  Or,  if  we  may  change  the  figure,  he  is 
like  the  surgeon  operating  on  the  most  delicate  tissues,  and 
a hair’s  breadth  movement  of  the  knife  saves  or  kills.  That 
is  not  an  office  for  the  indolent,  weak  or  trifling,  in  which 
the  causes  are  for  a moment  and  the  effects  for  eternity ; the 
causes  are  a short  phrase  condensing  a world  of  import,  or  a 
breath  of  air  making  a significant  interjection,  or  a line  on 
the  face  indicative  of  a thousand  hopes  or  fears ; and  the 
effects  are,  what  ‘‘  eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither 
hath  it  entered  into  the  heart  of  man.” 

The  high  character  of  the  preacher’s  work  is  further  illus- 
trated by  the  bad  effects  which  he  may  produce  in  a very 
short  time.  The  evil  that  may  ensue  from  an  office  poorly 
filled,  sets  out  in  relief  the  good  that  may  be  done  by  a fit 
incumbent.  He  is  an  important  man  who  may  do  much 
hurt,  even  if  he  can  never  become  a positive  and  decided 
benefactor.  Though  an  armed  maniac  is  powerless  for 
good,  he  is  guarded  with  jealous  care  merely  for  his  tendency 
to  mischief.  Now  the  preacher  may  benumb  the  intellect 
which  he  ought  to  arouse  and  brighten.  He  may  darken  the 
conscience  that  he  ought  to  illuminate,  and  may  deprave  in- 
stead of  purifying  the  tastes  and  affections.  As  the  soul 
which,  with  aid  from  above,  he  might  have  allured  towards 
heaven,  would  have  gained  without  ceasing  new  capacity  for 
holiness  and  bliss,  so  the  soul  which  he  now  indisposes  for  a 
pious  life  will  be  perpetually  drinking  in  new  sin  and  new 
punishment.  The  sin  is  just  as  debasing  as  the  holiness 
would  have  been  exalting,  and  the  punishment  is  as  refined 
and  spiritual  and  keen,  as  would  have  been  the  reward.  Nor 
does  this  soul  go  on  alone  to  its  ruin.  Spirits  move  in  sympa- 
thy, and  make  companions  for  their  gloom  if  they  do  not  find 


OF  THE  preacher’s  work. 


35 


them.  The  man  whom  the  preacher  hardens  in  guilt  imparts 
ajike  hardening  influence  to  at  least  three  or  four  of  his  friends, 
perhaps  of  his  household  ; and  these  will  not  shut  up  the  con- 
tagion within  their  own  breasts,  but  will  spread  it  perhaps 
through  nine  or  twelve  of  their  admirers  or  dependents;  and 
in  this  geometrical  ratio  the  progress  of  the  contamination 
may  not  cease  in  this  world  till  the  millennium,  nor  in  the 
world  to  come  till  spirits  no  longer  assimilate  with  each  other. 
If  the  tide  of  virtuous  influence  flows  upward  from  genera- 
tion to  generation,  what  shall  be  the  breadth  and  depth  and 
bitterness  of  that  river  of  death  that  flows  downward  ! As 
the  good  influence  of  Augustine  is  conspicuous  at  this  late 
day,  so  likewise  the  evil  which  he  did  lives  after  him.  The 
asceticism  of  monks,  the  gloominess  of  certain  religious 
systems,  the  rudeness  of  some  theological  terms,  and  the  re- 
sults emanating  therefrom,  have  an  intimate  connection  with 
his  labors.  Nor  is  it  only  from  the  aggregate  of  the  preach- 
er’s life,  that  such  evil  may  take  its  rise.  It  is  from  one  ser- 
mon and  one  sentence  that  a hearer  may  start  in  his  course 
of  desperation,  and  go  on  diverging  further  and  further  from 
the  line  of  hope.  A single  unguarded  expression  has  gone 
from  the  pulpit,  and  eased  a conscience  that  had  for  days 
been  extorting  the  complaint.  Oh  wretched  man  that  I am  ! 
A rough  remark  on  the  perdition  of  infants  has  been  known 
so  to  shock  a hearer,  as  to  make  him  leave  the  house  of  God 
and  never  listen  again  to  an  evangelical  ministry.  A mo- 
rose appellative  on  the  doctrine  of  eternal  punishment  was 
referred  to  by  an  enemy  of  that  doctrine,  as  the  first  thing 
that  inflamed  his  mind  against  it,  and  induced  him  to  become 
a minister  of  false  tidings,  proclaiming  peace  to  large  assem- 
blies for  whom  there  was  no  peace,  said  the  Lord.  ‘‘  Though 
the  number  of  the  children  of  Israel  be  as  the  sand  of  the 
sea,  a remnant  shall  be  saved  this  was  one  of  the  first  texts 
from  which  Mr.  Murray  discoursed  on  his  first  visit  to  Bos- 
ton. “If  one  should  buy  a rich  cloth,  and  make  it  into  a 
garment,  and  then  burn  the  garment,  but  save  the  remnant, 
what  must  be  thought  of  him  this  was  one  of  his  first  sen- 
tences. Homely  and  clumsy  as  was  the  argument,  it  had 
a strange  and  sad  effect  upon  a young  man  of  enterprise  who 
heard  it ; he  carried  it  to  his  home  in  one  of  our  inland 
towns,  and  made  it  the  means  of  awakening  a curiosity  and 
a prejudice  that  terminated  in  the  defection  of  a large  neigh- 
borhood from  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints.  From 


36 


DIGNITY  AND  IMPORTANCE 


that  neighborhood  have  gone  several  lettered  men,  who  have 
blended  the  fascinations  of  learning  with  the  ungainly  creed 
of  their  childhood;  and  may  it  not  be  a rational  fear  that 
several  congregations  will  be  seduced  into  a ruinous  neglect 
of  religion  by  a train  of  influences  that  started  from  the  one 
witless  illustration  of  John  Murray?  And  well  would  it  be 
if  all  the  evil  that  flows  from  the  pulpit  were  the  emanation 
of  an  unsaiictified  ministry.  Does  not  much  of  it  come  from 
the  imperfect  addresses  of  even  pious  divines;  from  their  bad 
utterance,  that  gives  an  unkind  meaning  to  goodly  w’ords ; 
from  their  style  of  composition,  that  makes  a hearer  turn 
away  the  richest  truth  coming  in  such  repulsive  attire;  from 
their  want  of  forethought  and  skill ; from  an  undue  neglect 
of  prayer  and  study ; from  clouded  views,  low  purposes,  little 
faith,  obtuse  feeling ?i  And,  moreover,  must  it  not  deepen 
our  sense  of  the  preacher’s  critical  situation  to  reflect,  that 
he  often  does  not  foresee  the  results  of  his  language?  He 
does  good  without  knowing  it,  and  evil  also.  A sentence 
that  hastily  escapes  him  has  performed  its  work  as  hastily, 
and  has  wrought  a mischief  which  a century’s  discoursing 
will  never  repair.  God  has  concealed  from  us  the  day  of 
our  death,  so  that  every  day  may  be  the  pivot  on  which  our 
eternity  is  seen  to  depend.  He  has  hidden  from  us  the 
names  of  the  elect,  so  that  no  sinner  may  fail  of  applying  to 
himself  the  invitations  of  grace,  and  no  Christian  refuse  the 
duty  of  perseverance  in  view  of  a final  preservation  promised 
of  God.  There  is  this  apparent  indefiniteness  and  obscurity 
flung  over  the  works  and  ways  of  Jehovah,  and  therefore  the 
seriousness  which  might  otherwise  be  confined  to  a single 
point,  is  now  diffused  through  a whole  existence.  If  the 
preacher  could  always  determine  the  moment  when  his  audi- 
tory would  be  most  impressible,  he  might  set  a double  guard 
upon  that  moment.  If  he  knew  exactly  w^hat  discourse  or 
w^hat  paragraph  would  happen  to  seize  the  peculiar  attention 
of  an  inquirer  or  caviller,  a bright  child  or  an  inquisitive  stu- 
dent, he  might  lay  out  his  great  strength  on  a few  sentences 
and  feel  somewhat  secure.  He  can  indeed  foresee  that  some 
parts  of  his  ministration  will  require  more  skill  than  others ; 
but  he  will  often  find  a surprising  efficacy  where  he  looked 


^ A melancholy  illustration  of  the  evil  consequences  which  may 
result  from  a single  unguarded  expression  of  a clergyman,  is  suggest- 
ed in  the  Memoirs  of  Aaron  Burr,  Vol.  1.  p.  S8. 


OF  THE  preacher’s  work. 


37 


for  nothing.  A discourse  of  Payson,  which  he  thought  little 
of  and  wrote  almost  entirely  at  a sitting,  was  one  of  the  most 
effective  that  he  ever  preached.  ‘‘  I could  not  but  wonder,” 
he  says,  “ to  see  God  work  by  it.”  So  too  the  sentence 
which  the  preacher  utters  without  even  a thought  of  its  pow- 
er, excites  a prejudice  or  foments  an  evil  passion,  from  the 
effects  of  which  the  mind  will  never  be  restored.  The  word 
fell  almost  unbidden  from  the  pulpit,  and  it  was  perverted 
to  the  eternal  sorrow  of  one  who  listened  to  little  beside 
that  word.  The  critical  and  momentous  character  of  the 
preacher’s  work  is  therefore  spread  out  over  ail  its  parts, 
even  the  most  minute.  He  sometimes  labors  on  his  argu- 
ments and  has  no  fear  for  his  illustrations  ; but  his  illustra- 
tions are  misunderstood  and  more  than  undo  the  effect  of  his 
reasoning.  He  neglects  to  pro've  his  doctrine,  and  many 
from  that  accident  infer  that  the  doctrine  is  false.  He  fails  to 
apply  it,  and  thereby  satisfies  some  with  a dead  faith.  When 
he  raises  his  hand  to  enforce  a saying,  he  is  like  the  man  of 
old  who  drew  a bow  at  a venture,  and  knew  not  whom  or 
what  he  should  smite.  We  have  read  of  navigators,  whose 
hair  turned  from  black  to  gray  while  they  were  steering  their 
bark  through  a dangerous  pass,  and  feeling  that  a movement 
of  the  helm,  even  for  a single  inch,  would  be  for  the  crew’s 
life  or  death.  But  it  is  often  told  with  seeming  surprise,  that 
Martin  Luther  never  ascended  the  pulpit  without  fear  as  if 
there  were  no  cause  for  his  fear  when  immortal  interests  may 
have  been  suspended  upon  one  felicitous  or  inapposite  re- 
mark. It  is  because  Paul  understood  the  quickness  of  hu- 
man sympathies,  and  the  facility  of  doing  evil,  and  the  cer- 
tainty of  doing  something  either  for  the  hardening  or  the 
mellowing  of  his  hearers,  that  he  preached  with  an  alterna- 
tion of  hope  and  grief  and  courage  and  much  heaviness 
of  spirit.  Nothing  can  be  a more  philosophical  inference 
from  such  dubiousness  of  result,  than  the  command  of  an  an- 
cient preacher,  In  the  morning  sow  thy  seed,  and  in  the 
evening  withhold  not  thine  hand^  for  thou  knowest  not 
whether  shall  prosper,  either  this  or  that,  or  wdiether  they 
both  shall  be  alike  good.”  He  who  gives  great  heed  to  some 
things  in  his  preaching  and  none  at  all  to  others,  is  like  one 


^ “ I am  now  an  old  man,”  said  Martin  Luther,  “ and  have  been  a 
^ long  time  employed  in  the  business  of  preaching  ; but  1 never  ascend 
the  pulpit  without  trembling.” 

4 


38 


DIGNITY  AND  IMPORTANCE 


who  watched  all  the  night  and  let  the  thief  enter  in  the 
morning;  who  built  his  walls  thick  and  high,  and  left  only 
one  aperture  open  to  the  enemy.  The  spiritual  watchman 
ought  always  to  pray  and  never  to  faint. 

It  were  unphilosophical  to  object  that  a single  discourse  or 
sentence  is  only  an  occasion  of  the  good  or  evil  alluded  to 
above,  and  should  not  be  magnified  into  a cause ; that  the 
same  good  or  evil  would  have  been  produced,  even  if  there 
had  been  no  such  occasions,  and  was  associated  with  them 
by  a mere  accident.  The  truth  is,  the  occasion  is  as  really 
needful  for  the  effect,  as  is  the  cause ; it  is  the  occasional 
CAUSE.  The  event  may  have  taken  place,  perhaps,  without 
that  specific  occasion,  and  it  may  not.  The  fact  remains  un- 
altered ; the  men  who  have  been  instrumental  of  good  or  evil 
are  worthy  of  our  praise  or  blame,  even  if  other  persons 
might,  in  event  of  need,  have  had  the  same  instrumentality. 
Had  it  not  been  for  Washington,  we  might  perhaps  have 
achieved  our  independence.  Had  it  not  been  for  our  revo- 
lution, he  might  perhaps  have  been  an  eminent  man.  Had 
it  not  been  for  Judas,  our  Saviour  might  have  been  betrayed. 
Had  it  not  been  for  money,  Judas  might  have  been  a base 
man.  Still,  it  might  have  been  otherwise.  The  actual  occa- 
sions of  these  good  or  evil  events  w ere,  perhaps,  essential  to 
the  events  themselves ; and  are  worthy  of  our  regard  as  the 
conditions,  even  if  not  the  indispensable  conditions,  of  great 
effects.  The  contrary  supposition  diminishes  our  interest  in 
the  facts  of  history  and  in  real  life. 

The  dignity  and  importance  of  the  preacher’s  work,  may 
be  illustrated  still  more  clearly,  by  the  fact  that  God  has 
devised  and  approved  it  as  the  chief  instrument  of  promoting 
his  glory  among  men.  What  God  has  instituted  may  not  be 
called  common;  and  his  mandate  is  not  so  much  in  the  use- 
ful words  of  human  philanthrophy,  ‘ disseminate  tracts,’  ‘ or- 
ganize Sabbath  schools,’  as  in  the  words  of  the  Saviour’s 
wisdom,  ‘ Go  ye  and  preach  the  gospel.’  God  has  so  formed 
the  voice  of  the  minister  and  the  ear  of  the  people,  that  the 
philosophical  consequence  is,  “ faith  cometh  by  hearing,”  if 
the  Spirit  be  present  with  his  aid.  He  has  so  made  the  hand 
and  the  face  of  the  speaker,  and  the  eye  and  heart  of  the 
hearer,  that  the  sacred  office  seems  to  have  its  foundation  laid 
in  the  very  constitution  of  the  body  and  soul,  and  like  the 
Sabbath,  to  have  wffiat  is  technically  called  a moral  as  well  ^ 
as  positive  ground-work.  The  eye,  voice,  lips,  arm  and 


OF  THE  PREACHER  S WORK. 


39 


attitude  of  such  men  as  Mason  and  Stillman  seem  to  have  an 
edifying  power,  because  they  are  symbols  of  the  truth  which 
edifies.  This  mysterious  relation  between  the  spirit  of  the 
gospel  and  the  tones  of  voice  which  express  it,  is  a sign  that 
the  preacher’s  office  is  no  arbitrary  device.  But  the  Christian 
ministry  is  not  merely  of  Divine  institution,  it  has  received; 
peculiar  marks  of  the  Divine  approval,  Christ  himself  was  a 
preacher,  and  has  thus  imparted  a lasting  dignity  to  theofficeo. 
Before  he  pronounced  the  sermon  on  the  mount,  which  was  the^ 
ordination  sermon  for  his  disciples,  he  spent  a whole  night  in 
prayer ; for  he  knew  the  weighty  results  which  would  follow 
from  the  ministry  which  he  was  to  institute.  He  uttered  a 
parable  for  the  purpose  of  showing  that  the  preached  word  is 
living  and  germinant,  and  that  men  ought  therefore  to  ‘‘  take 
heed  how  they  hear.”  As  Head  of  the  new  dispensation; 
he  diffused  the  knowledge  of  his  gospel  over  what  was  termed 
the  whole  world,  and  planted  churches  in  great  numbers, 
before  a single  book  of  the  New  Testament  was  written. 
He  sent  forth  apostles  with  no  message  save  what  came  from 
their  own  mouths,  and  in  obedience  to  his  last  command, 
they  went  everywhere  preaching  the  word.”  God  testified 
his  approval  of  their  labors  by  the  fact,  that  on  the  same  day 
with  one  of  Peter’s  sermons  ‘ there  were  added  to  (the  church) 
about  three  thousand  souls,’  and  a few  days  afterward  ‘ the 
number  of  the  men  (who  believed)  was  about  five  thousand.’ 
And  in  all  succeeding  times  there  have  been  some  who 
preached,  and  their  words  were  as  goads  and  as  nails  fast* 
ened  by  the  masters  of  assemblies;  but  when  their  posthu- 
mous sermons  were  read  on  the  mute  parchment,  it  became 
a wonder  where  was  the  hiding  of  their  power.  And  there 
have  likewise  been  some  who  reasoned  justly  and  felt  right, 
but  their  style  of  writing  and  speaking  was  so  ill  conformed 
to  God’s  laws  for  the  proclaiming  of  his  word,  that  the  hearer 
learned  a falsehood  when  the  reader  would  have  learned  a 
truth,  and  God  blessed  them  as  men  and  authors,  but  seldom 
owned  them  as  living  preachers  of  his  word.  The  seals  of 
peculiar  favor  which  this  office  has  received  from  God  are 
also  found  in  the  direct  expressions  of  the  men  whom  he  in- 
spired. We  hear  indeed  of  ‘‘  the  foolishness  of  preaching 
it  is  not,  however,  a real  foolishness  but  only  a seeming  one 
to  the  Greeks  and  them  that  perish.  As  in  the  soberest  kind 
of  irony  we  call  him  a great  and  wise  man,  who  is  great  and 
wise  only  in  his  own  esteem,  so  the  apostle  calls  that  work 


40 


DIGNITY  AND  IMPORTANCE 


foolishness,  which  is  so  only  in  the  regard  of  perverse  men, 
and  which  though  fruitless  without  aid  from  heaven,  is  yet 
‘‘  the  power  of  God  and  the  wisdom  of  God.”  Jeremy  Tay- 
lor did  well  in  saying,  “ Let  no  preacher  compare  one  ordi- 
nance with  another,  as  prayer  with  preaching  to  the  dis- 
paragement of  either,  but  use  both  in  their  proper  seasons 
and  according  to  their  appointed  order  yet  there  are  some 
iDspired  eulogiums  on  the  work  of  preaching  that  can  well 
befit  no  other  mode  of  Christian  appeal.  It  were  a singular 
fancy  to  conceive  of  Paul  as  saying  in  his  first  chapter  to  the 
Corinthians,  ‘ I thank  God  that  1 preached  the  gospel  to  none 
of  you  but  Crispus  and  Gains,  and  I preached  also  to  the 
household  of  Stephanas ; besides  I know  not  whether  I 
preached  to  any  other,  for  Christ  sent  me  not  to  preach  the 
gospel  but  to  administer  sacraments.’  The  true  language  of 
an  apostle  is, — ‘‘  Christ  sent  me  not  to  baptize  but  to  preach.” 
“For  a necessity  is  laid  upon  me,  yea,  woe  is  unto  me,  if  I 
preach  not  the  Gospel.”  “Let  the  elders  who  rule  well  be 
counted  worthy  of  double  honor,  espexially  they  who  labor  in 
the  word  and  doctrine 

We  have  spoken  of  the  sacred  office  as  the  chief  instru- 
ment of  glorifying  God.  And  here  is  its  chief  dignity.  If  it 
were  nothing  but  the  means  of  refining  and  saving  men,  it 
would  command  our  homage;  but  that  which  it  does  for 
men,  it  also  does,  as  a thing  of  course,  for  the  illustration  of 
the  divine  excellence.  In  more  senses  than  one,  whoever 
presents  a cup  of  water  to  a sick  man  performs  thereby  a 
service  to  his  father  in  heaven.  It  is  the  highest  privilege 
conceivable  to  be  an  instrument  of  setting  forth  the  grace  of 
Jehovah  by  enlarging  the  number  of  his  redeemed.  But  if 
the  preacher  fail  of  this  highest  honor,  he  still  may  not  weep 
as  one  bereaved  of  all  hope.  His  faithful  message  shall  not 
return  void  to  heaven,  but  shall  accomplish  a great  work. 
All  is  not  lost  when  man  is  lost,  but  the  wrath  of  man  shall 
pay  a reluctant  tribute  to  the  doctrines  which  the  preacher 
reveals.  He  magnifies  the  law  and  is  sure  of  illustrating  the 
holiness  and  justice  of  the  Lawgiver,  even  if  he  be  the  mel- 
ancholy savor  of  death  unto  men.  Whatever  right  step  he 
takes,  is  taken  for  the  exaltation  of  the  Divine  character  in 
some  one  of  its  features.  The  honor  of  the  law  he  is  certain 
of,  or  else  the  brighter  glory  of  the  gospel.  A heathen 


^ See  1 Cor.  1 : 14—17.  9:  16. 


OF  THE  preacher’s  WORK. 


41 


writer  lias  said  that  to  know  the  Creator  is  to  glorify  him,” 
and  thus  to  make  him  known  is  to  render  sure  honor  to  his 
name.  Nor  does  the  preacher  illustrate  the  Divine  excellen- 
ces for  the  whole  world  merely ; he  is  a minister  to  the  praise 
of  God  for  other  ranks  of  being.  The  apostle  who  “ magni- 
fies his  ofiice”  may  say,  Unto  me,  who  am  less  than  the  least 
of  all  saints  is  this  grace  given,  that  I should  preach  among 
the  Gentiles  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ,  and  to  make 
all  men  see  what  is  the  fellowship  of  the  mystery,  which 
from  the  beginning  of  the  world  hath  been  hid  in  God,  who 
created  all  things  by  Jesus  Christ,  to  the  intent  that  now 
unto  the  principalities  and  powers  in  heavenly  places  might 
be  known  by  the  church  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God.” 

Exalted  and  momentous  as  is  the  work  of  him  who  is  calb 
ed  to  be  the  ambassador  and  even  the  mouth  of  Jehovah,  the 
work  will  rise  yet  higher  in  its  worth  and  grandeur,  as  it  is 
performed  with  increased  ability.  If  a sermon  be  great  in 
its  theme,  and  good  in  its  influence,  then  the  more  carefully 
the  theme  is  studied  so  much  the  more  important  will  be  the 
sermon;  the  more  skilfully  the  preacher  adapts  his  style  to 
the  nature  of  man,  so  much  the  more  exuberant  is  the  fruk 
he  may  anticipate.  True,  he  is  only  an  instrument,  and  God 
is  a sovereign,  and  may  bless  the  feeblest  agency  rather  than 
the  strongest.  He  may  do  so,  but  commonly  does  not.  If 
he  require  means,  he  thereby  requires  the  best  means.  If 
he  approve  of  preaching,  then  he  gives  most  of  his  approval 
to  the  best,  most  real  preaching.  It  is  generally  his  sovereign 
purpose,  to  honor  with  the  greatest  success  such  instruments 
as  are,  in  themselves,  most  wisely  fitted  to  secure  the  end 
which  he  secures  by  them.  He  rules  the  wind  and  the  tide 
as  he  pleases,  and  yet  the  most  cunning  mariner  will  so  adjust 
the  sails  and  prow  and  helm,  as  to  receive  the  largest  share 
of  the  blessings  coming  from  absolute  sovereignty.  The 
man  who  is  wise  in  winning  souls  to  Christ  will  find  out,  what 
are  the  laws  according  to  which  the  decrees  of  heaven  are 
fulfilled  among  hearers  of  the  w^ord,  and  he  will  strive  to 
shape  his  discourses  so  as  to  meet  these  law^s.  And  he  is 
the  best  husbandman  in  the  moral  vineyard,  who  studies 
most  faithfully  the  nature  of  the  soil  and  the  qualities  of  the 
seed,  who  plants  and  waters  at  the  hour  and  in  the  way 
which  the  soundest  discretion  advises,  and  moreover  is  send- 
ing up  the  devoutest  and  most  persevering  prayers  to  heaven 
whence  alone  cometh  increase.  But  what  manner  of  man 
4* 


42 


DIGNITY  AND  IMPORTANCE 


must  he  be  who  is  making  these  intricate  observations,  and 
toiling  for  a perfect  conformity  to  the  laws  of  God’s  highest 
workmanship!  What  agonizing  of  the  inner  spirit  must  he 
often  endure,  when  selecting  and  aiming  the  dart  which 
may  save  or  destroy  a hearer  dear  to  him  as  an  own  son  1 If 
a Christian  is  the  highest  style  of  man,  what  must  a preacher 
'be?  If  an  undevout  astronomer  is  mad,  what  shall  we  say 
•of  an  undevout  pastor  and  bishop?  If  any  man  should  be 
one  of  various  learning  and  severe,  protracted  study,  of  gen- 
erous impulses  and  painful  w^atchings,  of  intense  longing 
after  improvement,  and  of  daily  progress  in  mental  and  moral 
culture,  what  must  be  the  character  and  purposes  of  the  con- 
secrated man  who  stands  between  the  great  God  and  a hos- 
tile congregation, — who  knows  that  at  every  opening  of  his 
mouth  he  may  so  affect  his  hearers  as  to  make  them  gems  in 
the  crown  of  his  rejoicing,  or  make  himself  responsible  for 
their  ruin?  The  homely  words  that  Philip  Henry  wrote  on 
the  day  of  his  ordination  over  a small  people,  express  the 
feelings  of  every  true  preacher:  ‘‘I  did  this  day  receive  as 
much  honor  and  work^  as  ever  I shall  be  able  to  know  what  to 
do  with.  Lord  Jesus  1 proportion  supplies  accordingly.” 

An  honor  and  a work  indeed  at  all  times,  is  the  Christian 
ministry;  but  emphatically  such  is  it  in  an  age  like  our  own. 
When  Philip  Henry  preached,  the  people  were  less  intelli- 
gent, less  inquisitive,  books  were  more  difficult  of  access,  the 
standard  of  popular  eloquence  was  lower,  the  demands  upon 
the  ministry  less  imperative  than  they  are  at  present.  Then 
it  was  easier  than  it  is  now,  for  the  clergyman  to  maintain  a 
marked  ascendancy  over  his  people.  This  ascendancy  ought 
to  be  still  preserved,  and  hence  the  character  of  the  modern 
pulpit  should  be  more  elevated  than  that  of  the  pulpit  two 
hundred  years  ago. 

And  if  the  preacher’s  work  for  our  times  is  peculiarly 
exalted,  so  is  it  in  an  eminent  degree  for  our  nation.  Other 
communities  have  severe  laws  and  a rigorous  police  for  the 
preservation  of  order  ; we  must  maintain  the  public  quiet  by 
a moral  influence.  Other  nations  retain  standing  armies  as 
a means  of  suppressing  cabals  among  the  people  ; we  must 
rely  on  the  pulpit  for  our  security  against  insurgents.  The 
institutions  of  other  lands  are  supported  by  their  venerable 
antiquity ; ours,  by  that  sober  conviction  which  comes,  in 
part,  from  the  preaching  of  the  law  of  God.  In  many  coun- 
tries there  is  no  popular  orator  except  the  clergyinan ; hence 


OF  THE  preacher’s  work. 


43 


is  it  easy  for  him  to  acquire  a commanding  authority  over 
the  multitude,  who  deem  it  a great  exploit  to  speak  in  public. 
But  we  live  in  a land  of  declaimers,  and  the  danger  is  that  un- 
less the  occupants  of  our  pulpit  shall  discipline  their  reasoning 
powers,  their  feelings  and  voices  more  than  they  have  some- 
times done,  they  will  be  surpassed  in  respect  of  eloquence  by 
our  statesmen,  lawyers,  lecturers  and  debaters.  The  pop- 
ular mind  has  received  an  impulse  among  us,  which  adds 
an  uncommon  responsibility  to  our  clergymen.  Just  so  far 
as  our  citizens  are  distinguished  for  enterprise,  thoughtfulness, 
independence  of  judgment,  a power  of  controlling  the  minds 
of  other  men,  in  that  degree  does  the  work  of  preaching  the 
Gospel  to  them  rise  in  importance. 

And  if  there  is  an  unusual  dignity  investing  the  pulpit  of 
an  enlightened  and  free  nation,  there  must  be  a greatness 
altogether  peculiar  in  the  preaching  of  divine  truth  to  such 
of  our  Christian  sects,  as  preserve  a simple  style  of  worship 
and  an  independent  form  of  polity.  These  denominations 
are  left  to  rely  on  the  proclaiming  of  the  Gospel,  as  their 
chief  attraction.  If  the  Romanists  had  no  Bossuet  or  Bourda- 
loue  or  Massillon,  still  they  would  have  a fascinating  ritual  to 
supply  the  place  of  interesting  sermons.  But  the  more  apos- 
tolical churches  have  but  little  left  them,  when  the  ‘‘  preach- 
er’s throne”  is  filled  by  incompetent  men.  They  depend  on 
the  intellectual  mode  of  administering  truth.  When  this  fails, 
all  fails.  Because  they  depend  upon  it,  therefore  is  its  dig- 
nity increased.  Because  their  preacher  is  more  important 
than  their  masters  of  ceremonies^  because  he  receives  but  lit- 
tle adventitious  aid  from  imposing  rites,  therefore  should  he 
bestow  an  unprecedented  amount  of  labor  upon  his  discourses, 
make  them  prominent  and  attractive  by  their  length  such  as 
meets  the  demands  of  a contemplative  mind,  by  their  style 
such  as  is  faithful  to  the  sentiment,  by  their  delivery  such  as 
is  true  to  the  style,  by  their  appropriateness,  richness  and 
variety  of  thought,  their  spirit  of  sympathy  with  all  that  is 
innocent  in  man,  their  outflowings  of  nature  as  it  is  quick- 
ened and  freshened  by  grace,  their  mellowing,  genial  and 
healthful  influence  on  the  feelings.  It  is  often  said  that 
because  our  religious  ceremonies  are  so  modest,  we  cannot 
hope  to  exert  a controlling  influence  over  the  people.  And 
in  recent  days,  a tendency  has  arisen  to  make  our  order  of 
worship  more  ostentatious  than  it  has  been.  The  origin  of 
this  tendency  may  be  traced  to  our  low  appreciation  of  pulpit 


44 


DIGNITY  AND  IMPORTANCE 


excellence.  We  have  forgotten,  that  none  of  the  fine  arts 
can  fascinate  the  mind  so  much  and  so  long  as  eloquence  ; 
that  painting  and  sculpture  and  architecture  and  music  are 
less  alluring  than  ‘the  gracious  words  which  may  come  from 
the  mouth  of  the  preacher/  Eloquence  is  the  natural  ac- 
companiment of  religious  truth.  It  is  indeed,  a part  of  this 
truth.  Without  it  we  cannot  preach  the  whole  Gospel,  for 
the  Gospel  is  itself  eloquence.  In  some  states  of  society  men 
may  be  controlled  by  a parade  of  ceremonies,  but  the  leading 
spirits  in  our  community  are  governed  by  more  intellectual 
means;  by  thought,  by  religious  thought,  by  thought  seen  in 
its  simple  beauty,  working  without  the  aid  of  borrowed  orna- 
ments, expressed  as  it  ought  to  be  in  the  words  of  one  w’ho 
understands  not  books  only  but  men  also,  and  with  the  voice 
of  one  who  feels  what  he  is  uttering.  We  are  not  poor 
enough  to  need  the  trappings  of  formality  to  cover  our  spirit- 
ual nakedness.  Never  was  a form  of  worship  more  attrac- 
tive than  ours;  its  simplicity  is  its  winning  feature;  for  it 
does  not  hide  or  veil  those  truths  for  which  the  mind  of  man 
was  made,  and  in  which,  whether  holy  or  selfish,  it  must  feel 
some  kind  of  interest.  But  this  form  should  be  properly  ob- 
served ; and  the  proper  observance  of  it  requires  an  intelligent 
perception,  a hearty  love  of  sound  doctrine.  The  fascinating 
ceremony  of  our  Puritan  worship  must  be,  a style  of  dis- 
course which  expands  the  intellect  while  it  subdues  the  heart. 
Never  let  our  politicians  have  occasion  to  despise  our  clergy- 
men ; for  the  genius  of  Puritanism  requires  that  its  minis- 
ters be  men  of  stature.  Never  let  our  literary  journalists 
have  reason  to  adopt,  in  describing  our  pulpit,-the  supercil- 
ious tone  which  has  been  common  among  the  critics  of 
Britain  in  describing  theirs.  “Malignity  itself,”  says  an 
Edinburgh  reviewer,  “ cannot  accuse  our  pulpits  and  theolog- 
ical presses  of  beguiling  us  by  the  witchcraft  of  genius. 
They  stand  clear  of  the  guilt  of  ministering  to  the  disordered 
heart  the  anodynes  of  wit  or  fancy.  Abstruse  and  profound 
sophistries  are  not  in  the  number  of  their  offences.  It  is 
mere  calumny  to  accuse  them  of  lulling  the  conscience  to 
repose  by  any  syren  songs  of  imagination.  If  the  bolts  of  in- 
spired truth  are  diverted  from  their  aim,  it  is  no  longer  by 
enticing  words  of  man’s  wisdom.  Divinity  fills  up  her  week- 
ly hour  by  the  grave  and  gentle  excitement  of  an  orthodox 
discourse,  or  by  toiling  through  her  narrow  round  of  sys- 
tematic dogmas,  or  by  creeping  along  some  low  level  of 


OF  THE  PREACHER^S  WORK. 


45 


schoolboy  morality,  or  by  addressing  the  initiated  in  mythic 
phraseology  ; but  she  has  ceased  to  employ  lips  such  as  those 
of  Chrysostom  and  Bourdaloue.  The  sanctity  of  sacred  things 
is  lost  in  the  familiar  routine  of  sacred  words.  Religion  has 
acquired  a technology,  and  a set  of  conventional  formulas, 
torpifying  those  who  use  and  those  who  hear  them.”  But 
so  must  it  not  be  among  us,  for  the  high  character  of  our 
clergy  is  the  only  “ national  establishment”  that  our  church 
has  to  rest  on.  We  cannot  maintain  the  authority  of  reli- 
gious truth,  unless  it  be  preached  by  men  to  whom  all  others 
shall  have  reason  to  look  up.  The  sermons  that  were  ‘‘  de- 
livered at  Golden  Grove,  to  the  family  and  domestics  of  Lord 
Carberry,  or,  at  most,  to  a few  gentlemen  and  ladies  of  that 
secluded  neighborhood,  and  to  as  many  of  the  peasantry  of 
the  estate  as  could  understand  English”^  should  be  surpassed 
in  excellence  by  the  sermons  delivered  before  a thinking,  an 
inquisitive,  a reading,  a free  people,  who  have,  and  who 
know  that  they  have,  much  of  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical 
power  in  their  own  hands,  and  who  require  of  their  preacher 
more  acumen,  more  learning,  more  of  moral  excellence  than 
has  been  demanded  in  other  lands  and  times  and  churches. 
Our  Sabbath  Schools,  and  Bible  classes,  our  popular  com- 
mentaries, our  cheap  books,  our  lyceums,  yea  atid  even  our 
railroads  make  it  needful  for  the  minister  to  push  his  inves- 
tigations over  and  far  beyond  the  line  to  which  his  predeces- 
sors advanced,  distant  as  that  line  may  be,  and  to  search  for 
wisdom  among  treasures  yet  hidden.  For  all  this  expense 
of  energy,  his  pecuniary  emolument  is  but  small;  therefore 
must  he  be  a man  of  generous  philanthropy.  He  must  un- 
dertake his  labor  for  the  love  of  it,  and  the  love  of  its  good 
results.  In  the  best  sense  of  the  term,  he  must  be  a great 
man,  for  self  denial  in  the  service  of  mankind  is  true  great- 
ness. He  must  have  that  large-hearted  professional  enthu- 
siasm which  in  this  land,  at  this  day,  is  essential  to  the  true 
respectability  of  the  pulpit.  Such  was  the  enthusiasm  of 
Richard  Baxter.  In  his  Dying  Thoughts,  this  veteran  in 
the  sciences  affirms,  “ For  forty  years  I have  no  reason  to 
think  that  I ever  labored  in  vain.”  He  toiled  in  season  and 
out  of  season,  in  the  study  and  in  the  sanctuary,  he  published 
a hundred  and  sixty-eight  volumes,  all  of  them  displaying 
acumen  and  an  amount  of  erudition  that  surprises  us;  yet,  in 


' See  Heber’s  Life  of  Jeremy  Taylor,  pp.  189,  190. 


46  DIGNITY  AND  IMPORTANCE  OF  THE  PREACHEr’s  WORK. 

the  conclusion  of  the  whole  matter,  he  thus  avows  liis  prefer- 
ence for- the  preacher’s  duties  above  those  of  the  philosopher 
even  : “ I have  looked  over  Hutton,  Vives,  Erasmus,  Scali- 
ger,  Salmasius,  Casaubon  and  many  other  critical  gramma- 
rians, and  all  Gruter’s  critical  volumes.  I have  read  almost 
all  the  physics  and  metaphysics  I could  hear  of.  I have 
wasted  much  of  my  time  among  loads  of  historians,  chro- 
nologers  and  antiquaries.  I despise  none  of  their  learning ; 
all  truth  is  useful.  Mathematics  which  I have  least  of,  I 
find  a pretty  manlike  sport ; but  if  I have  no  other  knowl- 
edge than  these,  what  w^ere  my  understanding  worth  ? What 
a dreaming  dotard  should  I be?  I have  higher  thoughts  of 
the  schoolmen  than  Erasmus  and  our  other  grammarians  had. 
I much  value  the  method  and  sobriety  of  Aquinas,  the  subtle- 
ty of  Occam,  the  plainness  of  Durandus,  the  solidity  of  Ari- 
miensis,  the  profundity  of  Bradwardine,  the  excellent  acute- 
ness of  many  of  their  followers ; of  Aureolus,  Capreolus, 
Bannes,  Alvarez,  Zumel,  etc.;  of  Mayro,  Lychetus,  Trom- 
beta,  Faber,  Meurisse,  Rada,  etc. ; of  Ruiz,  Pennattes, 
Saurez,  Vasquez,  etc. ; of  Hurtado,  of  Albertinus,  of  Lud  a 
Dola,  and  many  others.  But  how  loath  should  I be  to  take 
such  sauce  for  my  food,  and  such  recreations  for  my  business. 
The  jingling  of  too  much  and  false  philosophy  among  them 
often  drowns  the  noise  of  Aaron’s  bells.  I feel  myself  much 
better  in  Herberts  templeJ^ 


DIALOGUES  ON  ELOQUENCE^ 


PARTICULARLY  THE 


ELOQUENCE  OE  THE  PULPIT. 

BY 

M.  DE  FENELON, 


ARCHBISHOP  OF  CAMBRAY. 


The  following  translation  of  Fenelon’s  Dialogues  was  made  by  Rev. 
William  Stevenson,  M A.,  Rector  of  Morningthorp  in  Norfolk,  Eng- 
land. 


PREFACE, 


BY  THE  CHEVALIER  RAMSAY. 


Both  the  ancients  and  the  moderns  have  treated  of  elo- 
qnence,  with  different  views,  and  in  different  ways ; as  logicianSj 
as  grammarians,  and  as  critics : but  we  still  wanted  an  author, 
who  should  handle  this  delicate  subject  as  a philosopher,  and  a 
Christian  : and  this  the  late  Archbishop  of  Cambray  has  done 
in  the  following  dialogues. 

In  the  ancient  writers  we  find  many  solid  precepts  of  rheto- 
ric, and  very  just  rules  laid  down  with  great  exactness : but 
they  are  ofttimes  too  numerous,  too  dry ; and,  in  fine,  rather 
curious  than  useful.  Our  author  reduces  the  essential  rules  of 
this  wonderful  art,  to  these  three  points : proving,  painting,  and 
moving  the  passions. 

To  qualify  his  orator  for  proving,  or  establishing  any  truth, 
he  would  have  him  a philosopher,  who  knows  how  to  enlighten 
, the  understanding,  while  he  moves  the  passions,  and  to  act  at 
once  upon  all  the  powers  of  the  mind,  not  only  by  placing  the 
truth  in  so  clear  a light  as  to  gain  attention  and  assent,  but 
likewise,  by  moving  all  the  secret  springs  of  the  soul,  to  make 
it  love  that  truth  it  is  convinced  of.  In  one  word,  our  author 
would  have  his  orator’s  mind  filled  with  bright,  useful  truths, 
and  the  most  exalted  views. 

That  he  may  be  able  to  paint,  or  describe  well,  he  should 
have  a poetic  kind  of  enthusiasm  ; and  know  how  to  employ 
beautiful  figures,  lively  images,  and  bold  touches,  when  the  sub- 
ject requires  them.  But  this  art  ought  to  be  entirely  concealed ; 
or,  if  it  must  appear,  it  should  seem  to  be  a just  copy  of  nature. 
Wherefore  our  author  rejects  all  such  false  ornaments  as  serve 
5 


50 


PREFACE. 


only  to  please  the  ear  with  harmonious  sounds,  and  the  imagi- 
nation with  ideas  that  are  more  gay  and  sparkling,  than  just 
and  solid. 

To  move  the  passions,  he  would  have  an  orator  set  every 
truth  in  its  proper  place ; and  so  connect  them  that  the  first 
may  make  way  for  the  second,  and  the  next  support  the  former ; 
so  that  the  discourse  shall  gradually  advance  in  strength  and 
clearness,  till  the  hearers  perceive  the  whole  weight  and  force 
of  the  truth.  And  then  he  ought  to  display  it  in  the  liveliest 
images ; and  both  in  his  words  and  gesture  use  all  those  affect- 
ing movements,  that  are  proper  to  express  the  passions  he  would 
excite. 

It  is  by  reading  the  ancients  that  we  must  form  our  taste, 
and  learn  the  art  of  eloquence  in  all  its  extent.  But  seeing  that 
some  of  the  ancients  themselves  have  their  defects,  we  must 
read  them  with  caution  and  judgment.  Our  learned  author 
distinguishes  the  genuine  beauties  of  the  purest  antiquity,  from 
the  false  ornaments  used  in  after  ages  ; he  points  out  what  is 
excellent,  and  what  is  faulty,  both  in  sacred  and  profane  authors  ; 
and  shows  us  that  the  eloquence  of  the  Holy  Scripture,  in  many 
places,  surpasses  that  of  the  Greeks  and  Romans,  in  native 
simplicity,  liveliness,  grandeur,  and  in  everything  that  can  re- 
commend truth  to  our  assent  and  admiration. 


DIALOGUES 


CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE, 


THE  FIRST  DIALOGUE,  BETWEEN  AND  B.  AND  C. 

A,  Well,  Sir,  I suppose  you  have  been  hearing  the  ser- 
mon to  which  you  would  have  carried  me.  I have  but  very 
little  curiosity  that  way,  and  am  content  with  our  parish 
minister. 

JB.  I was  charmed  with  my  preacher.  You  had  a great 
loss.  Sir,  in  not  hearing  him.  I have  hired  a pew,  that  I may 
not  miss  one  of  his  Lent  sermons.  O ! he  is  a wonderful 
man.  If  you  did  but  once  hear  him,  you  could  never  bear 
any  other. 

A,  If  it  be  so,  I am  never  to  hear  him.  I would  not  have 
any  one  preacher  give  me  a distaste  of  all  others ; on  the  con- 
trary, I should  choose  one  that  will  give  me  such  a relish 
and  respect  for  the  word  of  God,  as  may  dispose  me  the  more 
to  hear  it  preached  everywhere.  But  since  I have  lost  so 
much  by  not  hearing  this  fine  discourse  you  are  so  pleased 
with,  you  may  make  up  part  of  that  loss,  if  you  will  be  so 
good  as  to  communicate  to  us  what  you  ren>ember  of  k. 

B.  I should  only  mangle  the  sermon,  by  endeavoring  to 
repeat  any  part  of  it.  There  were  a hundred  beauties  in  it 
that  one  cannot  recollect^  and  which  none  but  the  preacher 
himself  could  display. 

A.  Well ; but  let  us  at  least  know  something  of  his  de- 
sign, his  proofs,  his  doctrine,  and  the  chief  truths  he  enlarged 
on.  Do  you  remember  nothing?  Were  you  inattentive? 

B.  Far  from  it:  I never  listened  with  more  attention  and 
pleasure. 

C.  What  is  the  matter  then ; do  you  want  to  be  entreat- 
ed? 

B,  No ; but  the  preacher’s  thoughts  were  so  refined,  and 
depended  so  much  on  the  turn  and  delicacy  of  his  expres- 


52 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


sions,  that  though  they  charmed  me  while  I heard  them,  they 
cannot  be  easily  recollected ; and  though  one  could  remem- 
ber them,  if  they  be  expressed  in  other  words,  they  would 
not  seem  to  be  the  same  thoughts ; but  would  lose  all  their 
grace  and  force. 

A.  Surely,  Sir,  these  beauties  must  be  very  fading,  if  they 
vanish  thus  upon  the  touch,  and  will  not  bear  a review.  I 
should  be  much  better  pleased  with  a discourse  which  has 
more  body  in  it,  and  less  spirit;  that  things  might  make  a 
deeper  impression  on  the  mind,  and  be  more  easily  remem- 
bered. What  is  the  end  of  speaking,  but  to  persuade  people, 
and  to  instruct  them  in  such  truths  as  they  can  retain  ? 

C,  Now  you  have  begun.  Sir,  I hope  you  will  go  on  with 
this  useful  subject. 

A.  I wish  I could  prevail  with  you.  Sir,  to  give  us  some 
general  notion  of  the  elegant  harangue  you  heard. 

B.  Since  you  are  so  very  urgent,  I will  tell  you  what  I can 
recollect  of  it.  The  text  was  this  :i  ‘ I have  eaten  ashes  like 
bread.’  Now  could  any  one  make  a happier  choice  for  a 
text  for  Ash-Wednesday  ? He  showed  us  that,  according  to 
this  passage,  ashes  ought  this  day  to  be  the  food  of  our  souls; 
then  in  his  preamble  he  ingeniously  interwove  the  story  of 
Artemesia,  with  regard  to  her  husband’s  ashes.  His^  transi- 
tion to  his  Ave  Maria  was  very  artful ; and  his  division  was 
extremely  ingenious ; you  shall  judge  of  it.  1.  ‘ Though 
this  dust,’  said  he,  ‘be  a sign  of  repentance,  it  is  a principle 
of  felicity.  2.  Though  it  seems  to  humble  us,  it  is  really  a 
source  of  glory.  3.  And  though  it  represents  death,  it  is  a 
remedy  that  gives  immortal  life.’  He  turned  this  division 
various  ways,  and  every  time  he  gave  it  a new  lustre  by  his 


^ Psalm  cii.  9. 

® The  Romish  preachers,  in  the  preamble  of  their  sermons,  ad- 
dressed themselves  to  the  Virgin  Mary;  and  are  ofttimes  very  artful 
in  their  transition  to  it,  as  our  author  observes.  We  have  a remark- 
able example  of  this  in  one  of  the  greatest  French  orators,  M.  L’Esprit 
Flechier,  bishop  of  Nisrnes,  who  seems  to  be  oftener  than  once  allud- 
ed to  in  these  dialogues.  In  his  panegyric  on  S.  Joseph  he  introdu- 
ces his  Ave  Maria  thus  : — Everything  seems  to  concur  to  the  glory 
of  my  subject ; the  Holy  Spirit,  Jesus  Christ,  and  Mary,  are  concern- 
ed in  it ; why  may  1 not  hope  for  the  assistance  of  one  of  them,  the 
grace  of  the  other,  and  the  intercessions  of  the  Virgin  ? To  whom 
we  will  address  ourselves  in  those  words  that  the  angel  said  to  her,  and 
which  S.  Joseph  no  doubt  often  repeated;  Hail  ! Mary,  etc. — Pane- 
gyriques^  Vol.  I.  p.  71. 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


53 


antitheses.  The  rest  of  his  discourse  was  not  less  bright 
and  elegant;  the  language  was  polite;  the  thoughts  new; 
the  periods  were  harmonious ; and  each  of  them  concluded 
with  some  surprising  turn.  He  gave  such  just  characters  of 
common  life,  that  his  hearers  found  their  various  pictures 
faithfully  drawn:  and  his  exact  anatomy  of  all  the  passions 
equalled  the  maxims  of  the  great  Rochefoucault  ; in  short, 
I think  it  was  a masterpiece.  But,  Sir,  I shall  be  glad  to 
know  your  opinion  of  it. 

A.  I am  unwilling  to  tell  you  rny  thoughts,  or  to  lessen 
your  esteem,  of  it.  We  ought  to  reverence  the  word  of  God ; 
to  improve  ourselves  by  ail  the  truths  that  a preacher  explains ; 
and  avoid  a critical  humor,  lest  we  should  lessen  the  authori- 
ty of  the  sacred  function. 

B.  You  have  nothing  to  fear.  Sir,  at  present.  It  is  not 
out  of  curiosity  that  I ask  your  opinion,  but  because  I would 
have  clear  notions  of  it,  and  such  solid  instructions  as  may 
not  only  satisfy  myself,  but  be  of  use  to  others  ; for  you  know 
my  profession  obliges  me  to  preach.  Give  us  your  thoughts 
therefore  without  any  reserve ; and  do  not  be  afraid  either  of 
contradicting  or  offending  me. 

A.  Since  you  will  have  it  so,  I must  obey  your  commands. 
To  be  free,  then,  I conclude,  from  your  account  of  this  ser- 
mon, that  it  was  a very  sorry  one.i 
Why  so? 

A.  Why ; can  a sermon,  in  which  the  Scripture  is  falsely 
applied,  a scrap  of  profane  history  is  told  after  a dry,  childish 
manner,  and  vain  affectation  of  wit  runs  throughout  the 
whole  ; can  such  a sermon  be  good  ? 

B.  By  no  means ; but  I do  not  think  that  the  sermon  I 
heard  is  of  that  sort. 

A.  Have  patience,  and  I doubt  not  but  you  and  I shall 
agree.  When  the  preacher  chose  these  words  for  his  text, 

‘ I have  eaten  ashes  like  bread,’  ought  he  to  have  amused  his 
audience  with  observing  some  kind  of  relation  between  the 

^ “A  preacher  may  propose  a very  regular  method,  prosecute  it  very 
exactly,  express  himself  all  along  with  abundance  of  accuracy,  and, 
if  you  will,  of  elegance  too;  adorn  the  whole  with  many  a fine  flow- 
er and  artificial  trapping  of  language ; in  short,  deliver  a very  pretty 
harangue,  a very  genteel  discourse,  as  it  is  commonly  termed  ; which 
yet  may  prove,  after  all,  but  a sorry  sermon,  and  in  reality  good  for 
little,  but  to  amuse  superficial  judges,  and  to  convince  thorough  ones 
that  the  man  aspires  to  the  reputation,  without  the  qualifications  of 
an  orator.” — Fordyce,  on  Pulpit  Eloquence. 


54 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


mere  sound  of  his  text,  and  the  ceremony  of  the  day  1 Should 
he  not  first  have  explained  the  true  sense  of  the  words,  before 
he  applied  them  to  the  present  occasion? 

B.  It  had  been  better. 

A.  Ought  he  not,  therefore,  to  have  traced  the  subject  a 
little  higher,  by  entering  into  the  true  occasion  and  design  of 
the  Psalm,  and  explaining  the  context?  Was  it  not  proper 
for  him  to  inquire,  whether  the  interpretation  he  gave  of  the 
words  was  agreeable  to  the  true  meaning  of  them,  before 
he  delivered  his  own  sense  to  the  people,  as  if  it  were  the 
word  of  God  ? ' 

B.  He  ought  to  have  done  so : but  what  fault  was  there  in 
his  interpretation  ? 

A.  Why,  I will  tell  you.  David,  (who  was  the  author  of 
the  one  hundred  and  second  Psalm,)  speaks  of  his  own  mis- 
fortunes : he  tells  us,  that  his  enemies  insulted  him  cruelly, 
when  they  saw  him  in  the  dust,  humbled  at  their  feet,  and 
reduced  (as  he  poetically  expresses  it)  to  ‘ eat  ashes  like 
bread,'  and  ‘ to  mingle  his  drink  with  weeping.’  Now,  what 
relation  is  there  between  the  complaints  of  David,  driven  from 
his  throne,  and  persecuted  by  his  son  Absalom ; and  the  hu- 
miliation of  a Christian,  who  puts  ashes  on  his  forehead,  to 
remind  him  of  his  mortality,  and  disengage  him  from  sinful 
pleasures?  Could  the  preacher  find  no  other  text  in  Scrip- 
ture? Did  Christ  and  his  apostles,  or  the  prophets,  never 
speak  of  death,  and  the  dust  of  the  grave,  to  which  all  our 
pride  and  vanity  must  be  reduced  ? Does  not  the  Scripture 
contain  many  affecting  images  of  this  important  truth  ? 
Might  he  not  have  been  content  with  the  words  of  Genesis,i 
which  are  so  natural  and  proper  for  this  ceremony,  and  cho- 
sen by  the  church  itself?  Should  a vain  delicacy  make  him 
afraid  of  too  often  repeating  a text  that  the  Holy  Spirit  has 
dictated,  and  which  the  church  appoints  to  be  used  every 
year  ? Why  should  he  neglect  such  a pertinent  passage,  and 
many  other  places  of  Scripture,  to  pitch  on  one  that  is  not 
proper  ? This  must  flow  from  a depraved  taste,  and  a fond 
inclination  to  say  something  that  is  new. 

H.  You  grow  too  warm.  Sir  : supposing  the  literal  sense 
of  the  text  not  to  be  the  true  meaning  of  it,  the  preacher’s 
remarks  might  however  be  very  fine  and  solid. 

C.  As  for  my  part,  I do  not  care  whether  a preacher’s 


Gen.  3:  19. 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


55 


thoughts  be  fine  or  not,  till  I am  first  satisfied  of  their  being 
true.  But,  Sir,  what  say  you  to  the  rest  of  the  sermon  ? 

A.  It  was  exactly  of  a piece  with  the  text.  How  could  the 
preacher  give  such  misplaced  ornaments  to  a subject  in  itself 
so  terrifying,  and  amuse  his  hearers  with  an  idle  story  of  Ar- 
temesia’s  sorrow;  when  he  ought  to  have  alarmed  them,  and 
given  them  the  most  terrible  images  of  death? 

H.  I perceive  then  you  do  not  love  turns  of  wit,  on  such 
occasions.  But  what  would  become  of  eloquence  if  it  were 
stript  of  such  ornaments  ? Would  you  confine  everybody  to 
the  plainness  of  country  preachers?  Such  men  are  useful 
among  the  common  people ; but  persons  of  distinction  have 
more  delicate  ears,  and  we  must  adapt  our  discourses  to  their 
polite  taste. 

A.  You  are  now  leading  me  off  from  the  point.  I was 
endeavoring  to  convince  you,  that  the  plan  of  the  sermon 
was  ill  laid,  and  I was  just  going  to  touch  upon  the  division 
of  it ; but  I suppose  you  already  perceive  the  reason  why  I 
dislike  it,  for  the  preacher  lays  down  three  quaint  conceits 
for  the  subject  of  his  whole  discourse.  When  one  chooses 
to  divide  a sermon,  he  should  do  it  plainly,  and  give  such  a 
division  as  naturally  arises  from  the  subject  itself,  and  gives 
light  and  just  order  to  the  several  parts  ; such  a division  as 
may  be  easily  remembered,  and  at  the  same  time  help  to  con- 
nect and  retain  the  whole ; in  fine,  a division  that  shows  at 
once  the  extent  of  the  subject,  and  of  all  its  parts.  But,  on 
the  contrary,  here  is  a man  who  endeavors  to  dazzle  his  hear- 
• ers,  and  puts  them  off  with  three  points  of  wit,  or  puzzling 
riddles,  which  he  turns  and  plies  so  dexterously,  that  they 
must  fancy  they  saw  some  tricks  of  legerdemain.^  Did  this 
preacher  use  such  a serious,  grave  manner  of  address,  as 
might  make  you  hope  for  something  useful  and  important 
from  him  ? But,  to  return  to  the  point  you  proposed  ; did 


^ “ A blind  desire  to  shine  and  to  please,  is  often  at  the  expense  of 
that  substantial  honor  which  might  be  obtained,  were  Christian  ora- 
tors to  give  themselves  up  to  the  pure  emotions  of  piety,  which  so 
well  agree  with  the  sensibility  necessary  to  eloquence.” — Abbe  Mau- 
ry’s Principles  of  Eloquence^  sect.  9. 

“ Uncommon  expressions,  strong  flashes  of  wit,  pointed  similes,  and 
epigrammatic  turns,  especially  when  they  recur  too  frequently,  often 
disfigure,  rather  than  embellish,  a discourse.  It  commonly  happens, 
in  such  cases,  that  twenty  insipid  conceits  are  found  for  one  thought 
which  is  really  beautiful.” — Hume’s  Essays. 


56 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE^ 


you  not  ask  me  whether  I meant  to  banish  eloquence  from 
the  pulpit  ? 

B.  Yes.  I fancy  that  is  your  drift. 

A.  Think  you  so?  Pray  what  do  you  mean  by  elo- 
quence ? 

jB.  It  is  the  art  of  speaking  well. 

A,  Has  this  art  no  other  end,  besides  that  of  speaking  well  ? 
Have  not  men  some  design  in  speaking  ? Or  do  they  talk 
only  for  the  sake  of  talking. 

B.  They  speak  to  please,  and  to  persuade  others. 

A.  Pray  let  us  carefully  distinguish  these  two  things. 
Men  talk  in  order  to  persuade ; that  is  certain  : and  too  of- 
ten they  speak  likewise  to  please  others.  But  while  one  en- 
deavors to  please,  he  has  another  view,  which,  though  more 
distant,  ought  to  be  his  chief  aim.  A man  of  probity  has  no 
other  design  in  pleasing  others,  than  that  he  may  the  more 
effectually  inspire  them  with  the  love  of  justice,  and  other 
virtues,  by  representing  them  as  most  amiable.  He  who 
seeks  to  advance  his  own  interest,  his  reputation  or  his  for- 
tune, strives  to  please,  only  that  he  may  gain  the  affection 
and  esteem  of  such  as  can  gratify  his  ambition,  or  his  ava- 
rice : so  that  this  very  design  of  pleasing  is  still  but  a differ- 
ent manner  of  persuasion  that  the  orator  aims  at;  for  he 
pleases  others  to  inveigle  their  affection ; that  he  may  there- 
by persuade  them  to  what  advances  his  interest. 

B,  You  cannot  but  own  then  that  men  often  speak  to 
please.  The  most  ancient  orators  had  this  view.  Cicero’s 
orations  plainly  show  that  he  labored  hard  for  reputation ; 
and  who  will  not  believe  the  same  of  Isocrates,  and  Demos- 
thenes too  ? All  the  panegyrists  were  more  solicitous  for 
their  own  honor,  than  for  the  fame  of  their  heroes ; and  they 
extolled  a prince’s  glory  to  the  skies,  chiefly  because  they 
hoped  to  be  admired  for  their  ingenious  manner  of  praising 
him.  This  ambition  seems  to  have  been  always  reckoned 
commendable  both  among  the  Greeks  and  the  Romans;  and 
such  emulation  brought  eloquence  to  its  perfection ; it  in- 
spired men  with  noble  thoughts  and  generous  sentiments,  by 
which  the  ancient  republics  were  made  to  flourish.  The 
advantageous  light  in  which  eloquence  appeared  in  great 
assemblies,  and  the  ascendency  it  gave  the  orator  over  the 
people,  made  it  to  be  admired,  and  helped  to  spread  polite 
learning.  I cannot  see,  indeed,  why  such  an  emulation 
should  be  blamed  even  among  Christian  orators ; provided 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


57 


they  did  not  show  an  indecent  affectation  in  their  discourses, 
nor  in  the  least  enervate  the  precepts  of  the  gospel.  We 
ought  not  to  censure  what  animates  young  people,  and  forms 
our  greatest  preachers. 

A.  You  have  here  put  several  things  together,  which,  if 
you  please,  Sir,  we  will  consider  separately  ; and  observe 
some  method  in  inquiring  what  we  ought  to  conclude  from 
them.  But  let  us  above  all  things  avoid  a wrangling  humor, 
and  examine  the  subject  with  calmness  and  temper,  like  per- 
sons who  are  afraid  of  nothing  so  much  as  of  error,  and  let 
us  place  the  true  point  of  honor  in  a candid  acknowledgment 
of  our  mistakes,  whenever  we  perceive  them. 

That  is  the  exact  state  of  my  mind,  or  at  least  I judge 
it  to  be  so ; and  I entreat  you  to  tell  me  when  you  find  me 
transgressing  this  equitable  rule. 

A.  We  will  not  as  yet  talk  of  what  relates  to  preachers; 
for  that  point  may  be  more  seasonably  considered  afterwards. 
Let  us  begin  with  those  orators,  whose  examples  you  vouch- 
ed. By  mentioning  Demosthenes  and  Isocrates  together, 
you  disparage  the  former ; for  the  latter  was  a lifeless  de- 
claimer,  that  busied  himself  in  polishing  his  thoughts,  and 
giving  an  harmonious  cadence  to  his  periods.  He  had  a 
veryi  low  and  vulgar  notion  of  eloquence,  and  placed  almost 
the  whole  of  it,  in  a nice  disposal  of  his  words.  A man  who 
employed  ten  or  (as  others  say)  fifteen  years,  in  smoothing 
the  periods  of  a panegyric,  which  was  a discourse  concern- 
ing the  necessities  of  Greece,  could  give  but  a very  small  and 
slow  relief  to  the  republic,  against  the  enterprises  of  the  Per- 
sian king.  Demosthenes  spoke  against  Philip  in  a quite  dif- 
ferent manner.  You  may  read  the  comparison  that  Dionysi- 
us Halicarnassus  has  made  of  these  two  orators,  and  see  there 
the  chief  faults  he  observed  in  Isocrates ; whose  discourses 
are  vainly  gay  and  florid,  and  his  periods  adjusted  with  in- 
credible pains,  merely  to  please  the  ear  : while  on  the  contra- 


^ In  the  introduction  of  this  very  panegyric,  that  our  author  men- 
tions, Isocrates  says  : Such  is  the  nature  of  eloquence,  that  it  makes 
great  things  appear  little,  and  small  things  seem  great ; that  it  can 
represent  old  things  as  new,  and  new  things  as  if  they  were  old  ; and 
that  therefore  he  would  not  decline  a subject  that  others  had  handled 
before  him,  but  would  endeavor  to  declaim  better  than  they. — Up- 
on which  Longinus  (§  38,)  makes  this  judicious  remark;  that  by  giv- 
ing such  a character  of  eloquence,  in  the  beginning  of  his  panegyric, 
the  orator  in  effect  cautioned  his  hearers  not  to  believe  his  dis- 
course. 


58 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


ry,i  Demosthenes  moves,  warms,  and  captivates  the  heart. 
He  was  too  sensibly  touched  with  the  interest  of  his  country, 
to  mind  the  glittering  fancies  that  amused  Isocrates.  Every 
oration  of  Demosthenes  is  a close  chain  of  reasoning,  that 
represents  the  generous  notions  of  a soul,  who  disdains  any 
thought  that  is  not  great.  His  discourses  gradually  increase 
in  force  by  greater  light  and  new  reasons,  which  are  always 
illustrated  by  bold  figures  and  lively  images.  One  cannot 
but  see  that  he  has  the  good  of  the  republic  entirely  at  heart, 
and  that  nature  itself  speaks  in  all  his  transports,  for  his  art- 
ful address  is  so  masterly,  that  it  never  appears.  Nothing 
ever  equalled  the  force  and  vehemence  of  his  discourses. 
Have  you  never  read  the  remarks  that  Longinus  made  on 
them  in  his  treatise  of  the  Sublime? 

B*  No ; is  not  that  the  treatise  that  M.  Boileau  translated  ? 
Do  you  think  it  fine? 

A,  I am  not  afraid  to  tell  you  that  I think  it  surpasses  Ar- 
istotle’s Rhetoric ; which,  though  it  be  a very  solid  tract,  is 
yet  clogged  with  many  dry  precepts,  that  are  rather  curious, 
than  fit  for  practice ; so  that  it  is  more  proper  to  point  out 
the  rules  of  art  to  such  as  are  already  eloquent,  than  to  give 
us  a just  taste  of  rhetoric,  and  to  form  true  orators.  But 
Longinus,  in  his  discourse  on  the  Sublime,  intersperses  among 
his  precepts,  many  fine  examples  from  the  greatest  authors, 
to  illustrate  them.  He^  treats  of  the  Sublime  in  a lofty  man- 
ner, as.  his  translator  has  judiciously  observed  ; he  warms  our 
fancy,  and  exalts  our  mind;  he  forms  our  taste,  and  teaches 
us  to  distinguish  what  is  either  fine,  or  faulty,  in  the  most  fa- 
mous ancient  writers. 


' In  oratoribus  vero,  Graecis  quidem,  adrnirabile  -est  quantum  inter 
omnes  uniis  excellat.  Attamen  cum  esset  Demostbeiaes,  multi  ora- 
tores  magni,  et  clari  fuerunt,  et  antea  fuerant,  nec  postea  defecerunt. 
— Cic.  Orat.  § 2. 

Quid  denique  Demosthenes  ? non  cunctos  illos  tenues  et  circum- 
spectos  (oratores)  vi,  sublirnitate,  impetu,  cultu,  cornpositione  supera- 
vit.?  non  insurgit  locis  non  figuris  gaudet.^  non  translationibus 
nitet?  non  oratione  ficta  dat  tacentibus  vocem? — QuintU.  lib.  xii. 
cap.  10. 

2 Thee,  bold  Longinus  ! all  the  nine  inspire. 

And  bless  their  critic  with  a poet’s  fire  : 

An  ardent  judge,  who,  zealous  in  his  trust. 

With  warmth  gives  sentence,  yet  is  always  just; 

Whose  own  example  strengthens  all  his  laws. 

And  is  himself  that  great  Sublime  he  draws. 

Mr.  Pope's  Essay  on  Criticism^  p.  45. 


dialogues  concerning  eloquence. 


59 


JB.  Is  Longinus  such  a wonderful  author  ? Did  he  not 
live  in  the  days  of  Zenobia,  and  the  emperor  Aurelian  ? 

A.  Yes ; you  cannot  but  know  their  history. 

jB.  Did  not  those  days  fall  vastly  short  of  the  politeness  of 
former  ages?  and  can  you  imagine  that  an  author,  who  flour- 
ished in  the  declension  of  learning  and  eloquence,  had  a bet- 
ter taste  than  Isocrates  ? I cannot  believe  it. 

A.  I was  surprised  myself,  to  find  it  so;  but  you  need  only 
read  him,  to  be  convinced  of  it.  Though  he  lived  in  a very 
corrupted  age,  he  formed  his  judgment  upon  the  ancient  mo- 
dels ; and  has  avoided  almost  all  the  reigning  faults  of  his 
own  time ; I say  almost  all,  for  I must  own,  he  studied  rather 
what  is  admirable,  than  what  is  useful,  and  did  not  consider 
eloquence  as  subservient  to  morality,  nor  apply  it  to  direct 
the  conduct  of  life.  And  in  this  he  does  not  seem  to  have 
had  such  solid  views  as  the  ancient  Greeks,  and  especially 
some  of  their  philosophers.  But  we  ought  to  forgive  him  a 
failing,  for  which  Isocrates  was  far  more  remarkable,  though 
he  lived  in  a more  refined  age.  And  this  defect  ought  the 
rather  to  be  overlooked  in  a particular  discourse,  where  Lon- 
ginus does  not  treat  of  what  is  proper  to  instruct  men,  but  of 
what  is  apt  to  move  and  seize  their  passions.  I choose  to 
recommend  this  author,  Sir,  because  he  will  help  to  explain 
my  meaning  to  you.  You  will  see  what  a glorious  charac- 
ter he  gives  Demosthenes,  from  whom  he  quotes  several  pas- 
sages that  are  most  sublime  ; he  will  likewise  show  you  those 
faults  of  Isocrates  that  I mentioned.  If  you  be  unwil- 
ling to  take  the  trouble  of  becoming  acquainted  with  these 
authors,  by  reading  their  works,  you  may  get  a very  just  no- 
tion of  them  by  consulting  Longinus.  Let  us  now  leave  Iso- 
crates ; and  talk  of  Demosthenes  and  Cicero. 

B.  You  are  for  leaving  Isocrates,  because  he  is  not  for 
your  purpose. 

A.  Let  us  go  on  then  with  Isocrates,  since  you  are  not  yet 
convinced ; and  let  us  judge  of  his  rhetoric  by  the  rules  of 
eloquence  itself ; and  by  the  sentiments  of  Plato,  the  most^ 


^ Sed  ego  neqae  illis  assentiebar,  neque  haram  disputationum  in- 
ventori,  et  principi  longe  omnium  in  dieendo  gravissimo  et  eloquen- 
tissimo,  Platoni,  cujus  turn  Athenis  cum  CharmadA  diligentius  legi 
Gorgiarn ; quo  in  libro,  in  hoc  maxime  admirabar  Platonein,  quod 
mihi  in  oratoribus  irridendis  ipse  esse  Orator  summus  videbalur. — 
Cic.  de  Oral.  lib.  1.  § xi.  Quid  denique  Demosthenes  — non  illud 
jusjurandum  per  caesos  in  Marathone  ac  Salamine  propugnatores  rei- 


60 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


eloquent  writer  among  the  ancients.  Will  you  be  determined 
by  him? 

JB.  I will  be  determined  by  him,  if  he  be  in  the  right : but 
I never  resign  my  judgment  implicitly  to  any  author. 

A,  Remember  this  rule,  it  is  all  that  I ask  of  you.  And 
if  you  do  not  let  some  fashionable  prejudices  bias  your  judg- 
ment, reason  will  soon  convince  you  of  the  truth.  I would 
therefore  have  you  believe  neither  Isocrates,  nor  Plato ; but 
judge  of  them  both,  by  clear  principles.  Now  I suppose  you 
will  grant  that  the  chief  end  of  eloquence  is  to  persuade  men 
to  embrace  truth  and  virtue. 

B.  I am  not  of  your  mind ; this  is  what  I have  already 
denied. 

A.  I will  endeavor  to  prove  it  then.  Eloquence,  if  I mis- 
take not,  may  be  considered  in  three  respects ; as  the  art  of 
enforcing  truth  on  people’s  minds,  and  of  making  them  bet- 
ter ; as  an  art  indifferent  in  itself,  which  wicked  men  may 
use  as  well  as  good;  and  which  may  be  applied  to  recom- 
mend injustice  and  error,  as  well  as  probity  and  truth ; and 
as  an  art,  which  selfish  men  may  use  to  ingratiate  themselves 
with  others,  to  raise  their  reputation,  and  make  their  fortune. 
Which  of  these  ends  do  you  admit  of? 

JB.  I allow  of  them  all.  What  do  you  infer  from  this  con- 
cession ? 

A.  The  inference  will  afterwards  appear.  Have  patience 
a little,  and  be  satisfied,  if  I say  nothing  but  what  is  evident- 
ly true,  till  by  gradual  advances  I lead  you  to  the  right  con- 
clusion. Of  the  three  ends  of  eloquence  I now  mentioned, 
you  will  undoubtedly  prefer  the  first. 

jB.  Yes;  it  is  the  best. 

A.  What  think  you  of  the  second  ? 

B.  I see  what  you  drive  at ; you  are  going  into  a fallacy. 
The  second  sort  is  faulty,  because  of  the  ill  use  the  orator 
makes  of  his  eloquence,  to  enforce  error  and  vice.  But  still 
the  rhetoric  of  a wicked  man  may  be  good  in  itself,  though 
the  use  he  makes  of  it  be  pernicious.  Now  we  are  talking 
of  the  nature  and  rules  of  eloquence ; not  of  the  uses  it  should 
be  applied  to.  Let  us  keep  to  the  true  state  of  the  question. 

A.  If  you  will  do  me  the  favor  to  hear  me  a little,  you  will 


publicae,  satis  manifesto  docet  praeceptorem  ejus  Platonem  fuisse  ? 
quern  ipsum  num  Asianurn  appellabimus,  plerumque  instinctis  divirio 
spiritu  vatibus  comparandum  ? — Quint,  lib.  xii.  cap.  10.  See  LongU 
nus,  § xiii. 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


61 


find  that  I have  the  point  in  dispute  always  in  view.  You 
seem  then  to  condemn  the  second  sort  of  eloquence ; or,  to 
speak  without  ambiguity,  you  condemn  the  abuse  of  rhetoric.^ 

B.  Right.  You  now  speak  correctly;  so  far  then  we  are 
agreed. 

A.  What  say  you  of  the  third  end  of  eloquence ; I mean 
the  orator’s  endeavoring  to  please  others  by  talking ; that  he 
may  raise  his  reputation  or  his  fortune? 

B.  You  know  my  opinion  already.  I reckon  such  a use 
of  eloquence  very  fair  and  allowable;  seeing  it  excites  a 
laudable  emulation,  and  helps  to  improve  men’s  talents. 

A.  What  kind  of  talents  would  you  have  chiefly  improved  f 
Suppose  you  had  some  new  State  or  Commonwealth,  to 
model,  in  what  kinds  of  knowledge  would  you  have  the  sub- 
jects  trained  up,  and  instructed  ? 

B.  In  every  kind  that  could  make  them  better.  I would 
endeavour  to  make  them  good  subjects,  peaceable,  obedient,, 
and  zealous  for  the  public  welfare.  I would  have  them  fit  to 
defend  their  country  in  case  of  war,  and  in  peace  to  observe 
and  support  the  laws,  to  govern  their  families,  cultivate  their 
lands,  train  up  their  children  to  the  practice  of  virtue,  and 
inspire  them  with  a strong  and  just  sense  of  religion  ; I would 
have  them  carry  on  such  a trade  as  the  state  and  necessities 
of  the  country  might  require;  and  apply  themselves  to  such 
arts  and  sciences  as  are  useful  in  common  life.  These,  I 
think,  ought  to  be  the  chief  aims  of  a lawgiver. 

A.  Your  views  are  very  just  and  solid.  You  would  then 
have  subjects  averse  to  laziness,  and  employed  about  such 
useful  things  as  should  tend  some  way  or  other  to  advance 
the  public  good. 

B,  Certainly. 

A.  And  would  you  exclude  all  useless  professions  ? 

B,  Yes. 

A,  You  would  allow  only  of  such  bodily  exercises  as  con- 

^ When  I consider  the  means  of  happy  living  (says  an  eloquent 
writer)  and  the  causes  of  their  corruption,  I can  hardly  forbear  recant- 
ing what  1 said  before  ; and  concluding  that  eloquence  ought  to  be 
banished  out  of  all  civil  societies,  as  a thing  fatal  to  peace  and  good 
manners.  To  this  opinion  1 should  wholly  incline,  if  I did  not  find, 
that  it  is  a weapon  which  may  be  as  easily  procured  by  bad  men,  as 
by  good  ; and  that  if  these  only  should  cast  it  away,  and  those  retain 
it,  the  naked  innocence  of  virtue  would  be  upon  all  occasions  exposed 
to  the  armed  malice  of  the  wicked. — Bishop  Sprat's  Hist,  of  the  Royal 
Society.,  p.  iii. 


6 


m 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


duced  to  people’s  health  and  strength  ? I do  not  mention 
the  beauty  of  the  body  ; for  that  is  a natural  consequence  of 
health  and  vigor,  in  bodies  that  are  duly  formed. 

B.  I would  suffer  no  other  exercises. 

A.  Would  you  not  therefore  banish  all  those  that  serve 
only  to  amuse  people,  and  cannot  render  them  fitter  to  bear 
either  the  constant  labors  and  employments  of  peace^  or  the 
fatigues  of  war  ? 

JB.  Yes  ; I should  follow  that  rule. 

A.  I suppose  you  would  do  it  for  the  same  reason  that  you 
would  likewise  condemn,  (as  you  already  granted,)  all  those 
exercises  of  the  mind  which  do  not  conduce  to  render  it  more 
strong,  sound,  and  beautiful  by  making  it  more  virtuous. 

B.  It  is  so.  What  do  you  infer  from  that?  I do  not  see 
your  drift;  your  windings  are  very  long. 

A.  Why;  I would  argue  from  the  plainest  principles,  and 
not  advance  the  least  step,  without  carrying  light  and  certain- 
ty along  with  us.  Answer  me,  then,  if  you  please. 

B.  Seeing  we  lay  down  the  rule  you  last  mentioned,  for 
the  management  of  the  body,  there  is  certainly  greater  rea- 
son to  follow  it  in  the  conduct  and  improvement  of  the  mind. 

A.  Would  you  permit  such  arts  as  are  only  subservient  to 
pleasure,  amusement,  and  vain  curiosity ; and  have  no  rela- 
tion either  to  the  duties  of  domestic  life,  or  the  common 
offices  of  society  ? 

B.  I would  banish  all  such  from  my  commonwealth. 

A.  If  you  allowed  of  mathematicians,  then,  it  would  be  for 
the  sake  of  mechanics,  navigation,  surveying  of  land,  the 
fortification  of  places,  and  such  calculations  as  are  useful  in 
practice,  etc.  So  that  it  is  the  usefulness  of  the  mathe- 
matics that  would  recommend  them  to  your  patronage.  And 
if  you  tolerate  physicians  and  lawyers,  it  would  be  for  the 
preservation  of  health,  and  the  support  of  justice. 

B.  Right. 

A.  And  with  the  same  view  of  usefulness  you  would  admit 
of  all  other  serviceable  professions. 

B.  Certainly. 

A.  But  how  would  you  treat  the  musicians? 

jB.  I would  encourage  them. 

A.  WouTd  you  not  lay  them  under  some  proper  restraint, 
according  to  the  judgment  and  practice  of  the  ancient  Greeks, 
who  always  joined  pleasure  and  usefulness  together  ? 

B.  Explain  yourself  a little. 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE.  63 

A.  Though  they  joined  music  and  poetry  together,  and 
carried  both  these  arts  to  the  greatest  perfection,  they  ap- 
plied them  to  inspire  people’s  minds  with  fortitude,  and 
noble  thoughts.  They  used  poetry  and  music  to  prepare 
them  for  battle,  and  carried  musicians  and  their  various  in- 
struments to  war.  Hence  came  drums  and  trumpets,  which 
raised  in  them  a spirit  of  enthusiasm,  and  a sort  of  fury  that 
they  called  divine.  It  was  by  music  and  the  charms  of  verse, 
that  they  softened  savage  nations;  and  by  the  same  harmo- 
ny, they  sweetly  instilled  wisdom  into  their  children.  They 
made  them  sing  Homer’s  verses,  to  inspire  their  minds  with 
the  love  of  glory,  liberty,  and  their  native  country,  and  with 
a contempt  of  death,  and  riches,  and  effeminate  pleasure. 
They  gave  their  very  dances  a grave  and  serious  turn : for 
it  is  certain  they  danced  not  merely  for  the  sake  of  pleasure. 
We  see  by  David’s  example,^  that  the  eastern  people  reckon- 
ed dancing  a serious  kind  of  employment,  like  music  and 
poetry.  The  mysterious  dances  of  the  priests  were  adopted 
by  the  heathens  among  their  ceremonies,  on  solemn  festivals, 
in  honor  of  their  gods.  There  were  a thousand  instructions 
couched  under  their  poems  and  their  fables;  nay,  their  most 
grave  and  austere  philosophy  always  appeared  with  an  air  of 
gaiety  and  good  humor.  All  those  arts  that  consisted  either 
in  melodious  sounds,  regular  motions  of  the  body,  or  the  use 
of  words ; music,  dancing,  eloquence,  and  poetry,  were  in- 
vented to  express  the  passions,  and  by  that  means,  to  commu- 
nicate these  passions  to  others.  Thus  did  they  endeavor  to 
convey  noble  sentiments  to  people’s  minds,  and  give  them 
lively,  affecting  views  of  the  beauty  of  virtue  and  the  deform- 
ity of  vice.  So  that  all  these  arts,  under  the  show  of  plea- 
sure, favored  the  most  serious  designs  of  the  ancients;  and 
were  used  to  promote  morality  and  religion.  Even  the  di- 
version of  hunting  was  encouraged  to  train  up  the  youth  for 
war.  Their  strongest  pleasures  contained  always  some  solid 
instruction.  From  which  source  flowed  those  many  heroic 
virtues  in  Greece,  which  all  ages  have  since  admired.  It  is 
true,  this  first  kind  of  instruction  was  afterwards  changed; 
and  of  itself  was  accompanied  with  remarkable  defects.  The 
chief  fault  of  it  was,  its  being  founded  on  a false  and  perni- 
cious scheme  of  religion ; in  which  the  Greeks,  and  all  the 
ancient  sages  of  the  heathen  world,  were  strangely  deceived, 


^ 2 Sam.  vi.  5,  14. 


64 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


being  plunged  into  gross  idolatry.  But  notwithstanding  this 
fundamental  mistake,  they  chose  a very  proper  way  of  in- 
spiring men  with  religion  and  virtue.  Their  method  was 
wise,  agreeable,  and  apt  to  make  a lively,  lasting  impression. 

C,  You  said  that  this  first  institution  was  afterwards 
changed  ; pray,  how  did  it  happen? 

A.  Though  virtue  gives  men  the  true  politeness,  yet  if 
great  care  be  not  taken,  politeness  gradually  degenerates 
into  an  unmanly  softness.  The  Asiatic  Greeks  fell  first  into 
this  corruption.  The  lonians  grew  effeminate,  and  all  that 
coast  of  Asia  was  a theatre  of  luxury.  The  Cretans  too  be- 
came corrupted,  notwithstanding  the  wise  laws  of  Minos. 
You  know  the  verse  that  St.  Paul  quotes  from  one  of  their 
own  poets.  Corinth  was  remarkable  for  its  excessive  riot 
and  dissoluteness.  The  Romans,  as  yet  unpolished,  began 
to  fall  into  such  practices  as  quite  relaxed  their  rustic  virtue. 
Athens  was  not  free  from  the  general  contagion,  with  which 
Greece  was  all-over  infected.  Pleasure,  which  was  used  at 
first  to  convey  wisdom  into  people’s  minds,  usurped  the  place 
of  wisdom  itself : and  in  vain  did  the  philosophers  remonstrate 
against  this  disorder.  Socrates  arose,  and  showed  his  de- 
luded fellow-citizens  that  the  pleasure,  about  which  they 
were  entirely  employed,  ought  only  to  be  used  as  the  vehicle 
of  wisdom  and  an  incentive  to  virtue.  Plato,  his  disciple, 
(who  was  not  ashamed  to  compose  his  dialogues  on  the  plan 
and  subject  of  his  master’s  discourses,)  banished  from  his 
republic  all  such  musical  notes,  scenes  of  tragedy,  and  poeti- 
cal compositions,  (even  such  parts  of  Homer  himself,)  as  did 
not  incline  people  to  love  order,  and  wise  laws.  This,  Sir, 
was  the  judgment  of  Socrates  and  Plato  concerning  poets  and 
musicians  ; do  you  approve  of  it  ? 

B.  I am  entirely  of  their  mind,  and  would  allow  of  nothing 
that  is  useless.  Since  we  may  find  pleasure  enough  in  solid 
and  valuable  things,  we  ought  not  to  seek  for  it  elsewhere. 
In  order  to  recommend  virtue  to  men’s  esteem  and  practice, 
we  must  show  them  that  it  is  consistent  with  pleasure ; and 
on  the  contrary,  if  we  separate  pleasure  from  virtue,  people 
will  be  strongly  tempted  to  forsake  a virtuous  course.  Be- 
sides, that  which  gives  pleasure  only,  without  instruction, 
can  at  best  but  amuse  and  soften  the  mind.  Do  not  you  see, 
Sir,  how  much  a philosopher  I am  become,  by  hearing  you  ? 
But  let  us  go  on  to  the  end,  for  we  are  not  yet  perfectly 
agreed. 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


65 


A.  I hope  we  shall  be  very  quickly.  And  since  you  are 
grown  SO  much  a philosopher,  give  me  leave  to  ask  one 
question  more.  We  have  obliged  musicians  and  poets,  to 
employ  their  art  only  for  promoting  virtue ; and  the  subjects 
of  your  new  republic  are  debarred  from  all  such  spectacles 
as  can  only  please  and  not  instruct  them.  But  what  would 
you  do  with  conjurers  ? 

B.  They  are  impostors,  that  ought  to  be  banished  from  all 
societies. 

A,  They  do  no  harm.  You  cannot  think  they  are  sor- 
cerers ; so  that  you  have  no  reason  to  be  afraid  of  their  prac- 
tising any  diabolical  art. 

B.  No,  I do  not  fear  that,  nor  should  I give  the  least  credit 
to  any  of  their  senseless  stories.  But  they  do  harm  enough 
by  amusing  the  common  people.  I will  not  suffer  such  idle 
persons  in  my  commonwealth,  as  divert  others  from  their 
business,  and  have  no  other  employment  but  to  amuse  people 
with  foolish  talk. 

A,  But,  perhaps,  they  get  a livelihood  that  way,  and  lay 
up  wealth  for  themselves,  and  their  families. 

B.  No  matter  ; they  must  find  out  some  honest  way  of 
living.  It  is  not  enough  that  they  seek  a livelihood ; they 
must  gain  it  by  some  employment  that  is  useful  to  the  public. 
1 say  the  same  of  all  those  strolling  vagabonds,  who  amuse 
crowds  with  silly  prattle  and  foolish  songs.  For  though  they 
should  never  lie,  nor  say  anything  that  is  immodest,  their 
being  useless  to  the  public  is  guilt  enough.  So  that  they 
ought  either  to  be  excluded  from  the  society,  or  compelled 
to  follow  some  useful  occupation. 

A.  Would  you  not  at  least  tolerate  tragedians,  provided 
they  represent  no  scenes  of  immodesty  or  extravagant  love? 
I do  not  ask  you  this  question  as  a Christian ; answer  only 
as  a lawgiver,  and  a philosopher. 

B.  If  tragedies  did  not  conduce  to  instruction  as  well  as 
to  pleasure,  I should  condemn  them. 

A.  Right.  In  that  you  are  exactly  of  Plato’s  opinion ; 
for  he  would  not  allow  of  any  poems  or  tragedies  in  his  re- 
public, that  should  not  first  be  examined  by  the  guardians  of 
the  laws;  that  so  the  people  might  neither  hear  nor  see  any- 
thing but  what  should  tend  to  strengthen  the  laws,  and  pro- 
mote virtue.  In  this  you  likewise  fall  in  with  the  sentiments 
of  other  ancient  authors,  who  judged  that  tragedy  ought  to 
turn  chiefly  upon  two  passions ; either  the  terror,  that  arises 
6* 


66 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


from  a view  of  the  fatal  effects  of  vice ; or  that  compassion, 
which  accompanies  the  representation  of  an  oppressed  and 
steady  virtue.  Sophocles  and  Euripides  wrote  with  these 
views,  and  always  endeavored  to  excite  pity  or  terror. 

B.  I remember  I have  met  with  this  last  rule  in  M. 
Boileau’s  Art  of  Poetry. 

A.  You  are  right.  He  is  a man  that  knows  perfectly  well 
not  only  the  foundation  of  poetry,  but  likewise  the  solid  aim 
to  which  philosophy  (superior  to  all  arts)  ought  to  direct  the 
poet. 

B.  But  whither  are  you  leading  me  all  this  while? 

A.  I lead  you  no  farther ; you  guide  yourself  now,  and  are 
happily  come  to  the  conclusion  I first  proposed.  Have  you 
not  said,  that  in  your  republic,  you  would  not  suffer  idle 
people  to  amuse  others,  and  have  no  other  business  but  mere- 
ly to  talk?  Is  it  not  upon  this  principle  that  you  would  ex- 
clude all  such  tragedies  as  do  not  convey  instruction  as  well 
as  pleasure?  Now,  will  you  suffer  that  to  be  done  in  prose, 
which  you  will  not  tolerate  in  verse  ? After  such  a just  rigor 
against  useless  poetry,  how  can  you  show  any  favor  to  those 
declaimers,  who  talk  only  to  show  their  parts? 

B,  But  these  orators  we  were  speaking  of,  have  two  de- 
signs that  are  commendable. 

A.  What  are  they  ? 

B.  The  first  is  to  maintain  themselves ; for  by  their  pro- 
fession they  procure  a subsistence.  Their  rhetoric  gets  them 
repute,  and  this  brings  along  with  it  that  wealth  they  stand 
in  need  of. 

A.  You  yourself  have  already  answered  this  pretence  ; for 
did  you  not  say  that  it  is  not  enough  that  one  gains  a liveli- 
hood, unless  he  get  it  by  some  employment  that  is  useful  to 
the  public  ? He,  who  should  represent  tragedies  that  give 
no  instruction,  might  get  his  bread  by  them,  but  this  would 
not  hinder  you  from  driving  him  out  of  the  commonwealth. 
You  would  say  to  him,  ‘ Go,  choose  some  regular,  useful  em- 
ployment, and  do  not  divert  your  neighbors  from  their  busi- 
ness. If  you  would  have  a lawful  gain  from  them,  apply 
yourself  to  do  them  some  real  service ; or  to  make  them  more 
wise  and  virtuous.’  Now  why  should  you  not  say  the  same 
to  the  rhetoricians  ? 

JB.  But  I have  a second  reason  to  offer  for  tolerating 
them. 

A.  Pray,  let  us  hear  it. 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


67 


B,  Why  ! the  orator  serves  the  public. 

A.  In  what  ? 

B,  He  improves  people’s  minds,  and  teaches  them  elo- 
quence. 

A,  Suppose  I should  invent  some  fantastic  art,  or  imagi- 
nary language,  that  could  not  be  of  any  use  ; could  I serve 
the  public  by  teaching  such  a senseless  language,  or  silly 
art  ? 

B,  No ; because  one  cannot  serve  others  as  a master,  unless 
he  could  teach  them  something  that  is  useful. 

A,  You  cannot  prove,  then,  that  an  orator  serves  the  pub- 
lic by  teaching  eloquence,  unless  you  could  first  show  that  it 
is  a useful  art.  Of  what  use  are  a man’s  fine  thoughts,  if 
they  do  not  advance  the  public  good  ? I am  very  sensible 
that  they  are  advantageous  to  himself;  for  they  dazzle  his 
hearers,  who  have  so  bad  a taste  that  they  will  applaud  his 
skill,  and  even  reward  him  for  his  useless  talk.  But  ought 
you  to  suffer  such  a mercenary,  fruitless  eloquence  in  the 
government  you  have  to  model  ? A shoemaker  is  servicea- 
ble in  his  way,  and  maintains  his  family  with  what  he  gains 
by  supplying  other  people’s  necessities.  So  that  you  see  the 
most  ordinary  employments  tend  to  some  useful  purpose ; 
and  there  is  no  other  art  but  the  rhetorician’s,  that  serves 
only  to  amuse  people  with  talking.  In  fine,  such  eloquence 
can  only,  on  the  one  hand,  satisfy  the  vain  curiosity  of  the 
hearers,  and  encourage  their  idleness;  and,  on  the  other, 
gratify  the  declaimer’s  pride  and  ambition.  But,  for  the 
honor  of  your  republic.  Sir,  do  not  tolerate  such  an  abuse. 

B,  I must  grant  that  an  orator’s  aim  should  be  to  make  peo- 
ple more  wise  and  virtuous. 

A,  Do  not  forget  this  : you  shall  see  the  consequences  of 
it  by  and  by. 

B.  Notwithstanding  this  concession,  he  who  is  employed 
in  instructing  others,  may  at  the  same  time  endeavor  to  ac- 
quire reputation  and  wealth  for  himself. 

A.  I told  you  before,  that  we  are  not  now  handling  the 
point  as  Christians;  I need  only  use  philosophy  against  you. 
Let  me  put  you  in  mind  that  you  grant  an  orator  is  obliged 
to  instruct  others  with  a design  to  improve  them  in  virtue. 
Thus  we  get  rid  of  all  useless  declaimers.  We  ought  not 
even  to  suffer  panegyrists  any  farther  than  they  render 
true  wisdom  and  probity  more  amiable  by  their  praises, 


68  DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE, 

and  propose  models  of  virtue^  and  valor  that  are  worthy  of 
imitation. 

B.  What,  then,  is  a panegyric  good  for  nothing,  unless  it 
be  full  of  morality  ? 

A,  Have  you  not  granted  this  already  ? Instruction  is  the 
proper  end  of  speech,  and  the  only  good  reason  for  praising 
any  hero  is,  that  we  may  represent  his  worth  to  others,  in  or- 
der to  excite  their  emulation,  and  to  show  them  that  virtue 
and  true  glory  are  inseparable.  Therefore  a panegyric  should 
be  kept  from  all  general,  excessive,  flattering  praises,  and 
such  barren  thoughts  as  do  not  afford  the  least  instruction. 
Everything  should  tend  to  make  the  hearers  in  love  with 
what  is  truly  great  and  good.  But  we  find  that  most  pane- 
gyrists seem  to  magnify  particular  virtues,  only  that  they  may 
more  effectually  praise  those  that  practised  them,  and  set 
off  their  heroes  to  greater  advantage.  When  they  have  any 
one  to  praise,  they  exalt  his  peculiar  virtues  far  above  all  oth- 
ers. But  everything  has  its  turn  ; and,  on  another  occasion, 
those  very  qualities,  which  they  preferred  before,  must  now 
give  place  to  some  other  virtues,  that  come  in  course  to  be 
extolled  to  the  highest  pitch.  In  this  respect,  I think  Pliny 
is  to  be  blamed.  If  he  had  praised  Trajan  as  a fit  model  for 
other  heroes  to  copy  after,  this  would  have  been  a design 
worthy  of  an  orator.  But  the  praise  of  that  prince,  (how- 
ever deserving  he  was,)  ought  not  to  have  been  Pliny’s  chief 
aim.  Trajan  should  only  have  been  proposed  to  mankind  as 
an  imitable  example,  to  allure  them  to  virtue.  When  a pan- 
egyrist has  such  a mean  view,  as  to  praise  the  person,  rather 
than  the  virtues  that  render  him  conspicuous,  this  is  only 
flattery  addressed  to  pride. 

B.  What  think  you  then  of  those  poems,  that  were  made 
in  praise  of  ancient  heroes?  Homer  has  his  Achilles,  and 
Virgil  his  ^Eneas.  Will  you  condemn  these  two  poets  ? 

A.  By  no  means.  Sir  ; do  but  examine  the  design  of  their 
works.  In  the  Iliad,  Achilles  is  the  chief  hero;  but  his 
praise  is  not  the  main  end  of  the  poem.  His  character  is 
faithfully  drawn  with  all  its  defects  ; nay,  these  very  defects 


' Perspicuuin  est  igitur,  alia  esse  in  homine  optanda,  alia  laudanda. 
Genus,  forma,  vires,  opes,  divitiae,  ceteraque  quae  fortuna  det,  aut 
extrinsecus,  autcorpori,  non  Iiabeni  in  se  verarn  laudein,  quae  deberi 
Virtuti  uni  putatur. — Virtus  autern,  quae  est  per  se  ipsa  laudabilis,  et 
sine  qua  nihil  laudari  potest,  tamen  habet  plures  partes,  quarum  alia 
est  ad  laudationem  aptior. — Cic.  de  Orat.  Lib.  ii.  § 84. 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


69 


are  a part  of  that  instruction,  which  the  poet  designed  to 
convey  to  posterity.  The  great  design  of  this  work  was  to 
inspire  the  Greeks  with  the  love  of  warlike  glory,  and  a dread 
of  discord,  as  the  greatest  obstacle  to  success.  This  moral 
instruction  is  plainly  interwoven  throughout  the  poem.  The 
Odyssey  indeed  represents  in  Ulysses,  a hero  more  regular, 
and  more  accomplished ; but  this  is  still  natural.  For,  of  course 
a man  like  Ulysses,  whose  chief  character  is  wisdom,  must 
be  more  wary  and  uniform  in  his  conduct,  than  such  a rough, 
warm,  forward  youth  as  Achilles.  So  that  in  drawing  both 
these  heroes,  Homer  seems  only  to  have  copied  nature.  In 
fine,  throughout  the  Odyssey  we  find  innumerable  instruc- 
tions for  the  whole  conduct  oflife ; and  one  cannot  but  observe 
that  the  poet’s  design,  in  describing  a prudent  man  whose 
wisdom  makes  him  always  successful,  was  to  show  posterity 
what  good  effects  might  be  expected  from  prudent  piety,  and 
a regular  life.  Virgil  in  his  ^neid,  has  imitated  the  Odys- 
sey in  his  hero’s  character,  and  has  drawn  him  brave,  mod- 
erate, pious  and  steady.  But  it  is  evident  that  the  praise  of 
^neas  was  not  the  poet’s  principal  aim.  That  Wo  was 
designed  to  represent  the  Roman  people,  who  descended 
from  him ; and  Virgil  meant  to  show  them  that  their  extrac- 
tion was  divine,  that  the  gods  had  destined  them  to  g(wern 
the  world ; and  by  this  he  animated  them  to  the  practice  of 
such  heroic  virtues  as  might  support  the  glory  designed  for 
them.  Now  a heathen  could  not  possibly  devise  a nobler 
moral  than  this.  The  only  fault  of  which  Virgil  can  be  sus- 
pected, is  his  having  had  his  private  interest  too  much  in 
view ; and  his  turning  his  excellent  poem  to  the  praise  of 
Augustus,  and  his  family,  with  too  great  an  air  of  flattery. 
But  we  ought  not  to  criticise  any  author  too  severely. 

jB.  But  will  you  not  allow  a poet,  or  an  orator,  to  seek  his 
fortune  in  an  honorable  way  ? 

A.  After  this  useful  digression  concerning  panegyrics,  we 
now  return  to  the  difficulty  you  proposed.  The  question  is, 
whether  an  orator  ought  to  be  entirely  disinterested  ? 

B.  I do  not  think  that  he  ought ; for  this  would  overturn 
the  most  common  maxims. 

A,  In  your  republic,  would  you  not  have  orators  obliged  to 
the  strictest  rules  of  truth  ? do  not  you  own  that  they  ought 
never  to  speak  in  public,  but  in  order  to  instruct  people,  to 
reform  their  conduct,  and  strengthen  the  laws  ? 

B-  Yes. 


7U  DIALOGUES  CONCEUNING  ELOQUENCE. 

-4.  An  orator  then  should  have  nothing  either  to  hope  or 
fear  from  his  hearers,  with  regard  to  his  own  interest.  If 
you  allowed  of  ambitious, i mercenary  declaimers,  do  you 
think  they  would  oppose  all  the  foolish,  unruly  passions  of 
men  ? If  they  themselves  be  subject  to  avarice,  ambition, 
luxury,  and  such  shameful  disorders,  will  they  be  able  to 
cure  others  ? If  they  seek  after  wealth,  can  they  be  fit  to 
disengage  others  from  that  mean  pursuit  ? I grant  that  a 
virtuous  and  disinterested  orator  ought  always  to  be  supplied 
with  the  conveniences  of  life,  nor  can  he  ever  want  them,  if  he 
be  a true  philosopher, — I mean  such  a wise  and  worthy  per- 
son, as  is  fit  to  reform  the  manners  of  men;  for  then  he  will 
live  after  a plain,  modest,  frugal,  laborious  manner  ; he  will 
have  occasion  but  for  little,  and  that  little  he  will  never  want, 
though  he  should  earn  it  with  his  own  hands.  Now,  what 
is  superfluous  ought  not  to  be  offered  him,  as  the  recompense 
of  his  public  services,  and  indeed  it  is  not  worthy  of  his  ac- 
ceptance. He  may  have  honor  and  authority  conferred  on 
him ; but  if  he  be  master  of  his  passions,  as  we  suppose,  and 
and  above  selfish  views,  he  will  use  this  authority  only  for 
the  public  good,  and  be  ready  to  resign  it,  when  he  can  no 
longer  enjoy  it  without  flattery  or  dissimulation.  In  short, 
an  orator  cannot  be  fit  to  persuade  people,  unless  he  be  in- 
flexibly upright ; for,  without  this  steady  virtue,  his  talents 
and  address,  would,  like  a mortal  poison,  infect  and  destroy 
the  body  politic.  For  this  reason  Cicero^  thought,  that  vir- 


^ Jam  hoc  quis  non  videt,  maximam  partem  orationis  in  tractatu 
aequi  bonique  consistere  ? dicetne  de  his  secundum  debitam  rerum 
dignitatem  malus  atque  iniquus?  denique — demus  id  quod  nullo  mo- 
do  fieri  potest,  idem  ingenii,  studii,  doctrinae,  pessimo  atque  optinm 
viro ; uter  melior  dicetur  orator?  nimirum  qui  homo  quoque  melior. 
Non  igitur  unquam  malus  idem  homo,  et  perfectus  orator. — Quint,  lib. 
xii.  c.  1. 

^ Est  enim  eloquentia  una  quaedam  de  surnmis  virtutibus — quae 
quo  major  est  vis,  hoc  est  magis  probitate  jungeiida,  summaque  pru- 
dentia;  quarum  virtutum  expertibus  si  dicendi  copiam  tradiderirnus, 
non  eos  quidem  oratores  effecerimus,  sed  fureiitibus  quaedam  arma 
dederimus. — De  Oral.  lib.  iii.  § 14. 

Sit  ergo  nobis  orator  quern  instituimus  is,  qui  a M.  Catone,  fini- 
tur,  vir  bonus,  dicendi  peritus — Adde  quod  ne  studio  quidem  op('ris 
pulcherrirni  vacare  mens,  nisi  omnibus  vitiis  libera,  potest — Quid  pu- 
tamus  facturas  cupiditatem,  avaritiam,  invidiam  ? quarum  impoten- 
tissimae  cogitationes,  somnos  etiam  ipsos  et  ilia  per  quietem  visa,  per- 
turbent.  Nihil  est  enim  tarn  occupatum,  tarn  multiforme,  tot  ac  tarn 
variis  atFectibus  concisum  atque  laceratum,  quam  mala  mens  — Quint 
lib.  xii.  cap.  1. 


DIALOGUES  COiVCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


71 


tue  is  the  chief  and  most  essential  quality  of  an  orator,  and 
that  he  should  be  a person  of  such  unspotted  probity  as  to  be 
a pattern  to  his  fellow-citizens ; without  which  he  cannot 
even  seem  to  be  convinced  himself  of  what  he  says,  and  con- 
sequently, he  cannot  persuade  others. 

B.  I am  sensible  there  is  a great  deal  of  weight  in  what 
you  say ; but  after  all,  may  not  a man  fairly  employ  his  tal- 
ents to  raise  himself  in  the  world? 

A.  Let  us  look  back  always  to  the  principles  we  laid  down. 
We  have  agreed  that  eloquence,  and  the  profession  of  an  ora- 
tor, should  be  devoted  to  the  instruction  of  people,  and  the 
reformation  of  their  practice.  Now,  to  do  this  with  freedom 
and  success,  a man  must  be  disinterested;  and  must  teach 
others  to  contemn  death  and  riches  and  unmanly  pleasure. 
He  must  infuse  into  their  minds  the  love  of  moderation,  fru- 
gality, a generous  concern  for  the  public  good,  and  an  invio- 
lable regard  to  the  laws  and  constitution ; and  the  orator^s 
zeal  for  all  these  must  appear  in  his  conduct,  as  well  as  in 
his  discourses.  But  will  he,  who  strives  to  please  others,  that 
he  may  make  his  fortune,  and  who  therefore  avoids  disoblig- 
ing anybody ; I say,  will  such  an  artful,  selfish  person  incul- 
cate unacceptable  truths  with  boldness  and  authority  ? or,  if 
he  should,  will  any  one  believe  a man,  who  does  not  seem  to 
believe  himself? 

B.  But  supposing  him  to  be  in  narrow  circumstances,  he 
does  no  harm,  I hope,  by  endeavoring  to  improve  them  ? 

A,  If  he  be  pinched,  let  him  try  to  mend  his  condition 
some  other  way.  There  are  other  professions  that  will  easi- 
ly set  him  above  want.  But  if  he  be  in  such  extreme  distress 
as  to  depend  on  relief  from  the  public,  he  is  not  yet  fit  to  be 
an  orator.  Would  you  choose  men  that  are  indigent  and  al- 
most starving,  to  be  judges  in  your  commonwealth  ? Would 
you  not  be  afraid  that  their  wants  might  expose  them  to  cor- 
ruption, or  betray  them  into  some  dishonorable  compliance? 
Would  you  not  rather  choose  persons  of  note  and  distinction, 
who  are  above  necessity,  and  out  of  the  reach  of  its  tempta- 
tions? 

B,  I believe  I should. 

A.  For  the  same  reason,  if  you  wanted  orators,  that  is, 
public  masters  to  instruct,  reclaim,  and  form  the  minds  and 
manners  of  the  people,  would  you  not  choose  such  men  as 
wanted  nothing,  and  are  far  above  little  selfish  aims?  And 
if  there  were  others  who  had  proper  talents  for  this  su- 


72 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


perior  office,  but  were  clogged  with  their  personal  concerns 
and  narrow  views  of  private  interests  would  you  not  excuse 
them  from  showing  their  eloquence  till  they  were  more  easy 
and  disengaged  in  their  circumstances,  and  could  speak  in 
public  without  being  suspected  of  any  mean  design  ? 

It  would  be  better.  But  does  not  the  experience  of 
our  own  age  plainly  show  that  an  orator  may  make  his  for- 
tune, by  preaching  rigid  virtue  with  great  vehemence  ? 
Where  can  we  find  keener  satires  against  the  prevailing  cor- 
ruptions of  the  age,  and  severer  moral  characters,  than  those 
which  come  from  the  pulpit  ? Yet  people  are  not  disturbed 
at  them  ; nay,  they  are  pleased  with  them ; and  the  ingenious 
preacher  gets  preferment  by  them. 

A.  It  is  very  true ; but  moral  instructions  have  no  weight 
or  influence,  when  they  are  supported  neither  by  clear  prin- 
ciples, nor  good  examples.  Whom  do  you  see  converted  by 
them  ? People  are  accustomed  to  hear  such  harangues,  and 
are  amused  by  them,  as  with  so  many  fine  scenes  passing  be- 
fore their  eyes.  They  hearken  to  such  lectures  just  as  they 
would  read  a satire,  and  they  look  on  the  speaker  as  one  that 
acts  his  part  well.  They  believe  his^  life,  more  than  his  talk ; 


^ The  clergy  have  one  great  advantage  beyond  all  the  rest  of  the 
world  in  this  respect,  besides  all  others,  that  whereas  the  particular 
callings  of  other  men  prove  to  them  great  distractions,  and  lay  many 
temptations  in  their  way,  to  divert  them  from  minding  their  high  and 
holy  calling,  of  being  Christians  ; it  is  quite  otherwise  with  the  cler- 
gy ; the  more  they  follow  their  proper  callings,  they  do  the  more  cer- 
tainly advance  their  general  one  ; the  better  priests  they  are,  they 
become  also  the  better  Christians.  Every  part  of  their  calling,  when 
well  performed,  raises  good  thoughts,  and  brings  good  ideas  into 
their  minds,  and  tends  both  to  increase  their  knowledge,  and  quicken 
their  sense  of  divine  matters.  A priest  then  is  more  accountable  to 
God  and  the  world  for  his  deportment,  and  will  be  more  severely  ac- 
counted with,  than  any  other  person  whatsoever.  He  is  more  watch- 
ed over  and  observed  than  all  others.  Very  good  men  will  be,  even 
to  a censure,  jealous  of  him  ; very  bad  men  will  wait  for  his  halting, 
and  insult  upon  it ; and  all  sorts  of  persons  will  be  willing  to  defend 
themselves  against  the  authority  of  his  doctrine  and  admonitions,  b) 
this, — he  says,  but  does  not;  the  world  will  reverse  this  quite,  and 
consider  rather  how  a clerk  lives,  than  what  he  says.  They  see  the 
one,  and  from  it  conclude  what  he  himself  thinks  of  the  other  ; and 
will  think  themselves  not  a little  justified,  if  they  can  say  that  they 
did  no  worse  than  they  saw  their  minister  do  before  them.  There- 
fore a priest  must  not  only  abstain  from  gross  scandals,  but  keep  at 
the  farthest  distance  from  them, — such  diversions  as  his  health  or  the 
temper  of  his  mind  may  render  proper  for  him,  ought  to  be  manly, 
decent,  and  grave;  and  such  as  may  neither  possess  his  mind  or  time 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


73 


and  when  they  know  him  to  be  selfish,  ambitious,  vain,  given 
up  to  sloth  and  luxury,  and  see  that  he  parts  with  none  of 
those  enjoyments  which  he  exhorts  others  to  forsake ; though 
for  the  sake  of  custom  and  ceremony,  they  hear  him  declaim, 
yet  they  believe  and  act  as  he  does.  But,  what  is  \vorst  of 
all,  people  are  too  apt  to  conclude,  that  men  of  this  profession 
do  not  believe  what  they  teach ; this  disparages  their  function, 
and  when  others  preach  with  a sincere  zeal,  people  will  scarce 
believe  the  zeal  to  be  sincere. 

B,  I cannot  but  own  that  your  notions  hang  well  together  ; 
and  that  they  are  very  convincing  when  one  considers  them 
attentively.  But  tell  me  freely,  does  not  all  you  have  said  on 
this  subject  flow  from  a pure  zeal  for  Christian  piety? 

A,  No;  if  an  unbebever  reason  justly,  he  must  fall  into 
the  same  train  of  thoughts ; but  indeed  one  must  have  a 
Christian  spirit  to  act  up  to  them,  for  it  is  grace  alone  that 
can  suppress  the  disorderly  emotions  of  self-love.  When  I 
pressed  you  with  the  authority  of  Socrates  and  Plato,  you 
would  not  resign  your  judgment  to  theirs ; and  now,  since 
reason  itself  begins  to  convince  you,  and  that  I need  not  en- 
force the  truth  from  authorities,  what  if  I should  tell  you 
after  all,  that  I have  only  used  their  arguments  on  this  sub- 
ject ? 

B,  Is  it  possible  ? I should  be  very  glad  of  it. 

A.  Well  then;  Plato  introduces  Socrates  discoursing  with 
Gorgias,  a famous  rhetorician,  and  Callicles,  one  of  his  dis- 
ciples. This  Gorgias  was  Isocrates’  master;  and  (as  Tully 
tells  us,)  he  was  the  first  man  that  boasted  of  his  being  able 
to  talk  eloquently  on  everything,  in  which  ridiculous  vanity 
he  was  afterwards  imitated  by  other  Greek  declaimers. 
These  two  men,  Gorgias  and  Callicles,  harangued  plausibly 
enough  on  every  subject;  being  wits  that  shone  in  conversa- 
tion, and  had  no  other  business  but  to  talk  finely.  However, 
they  wanted,  what^  Socrates  wished  every  man  to  have,  solid 


too  much,  nor  give  a bad  character  of  him  to  his  people.  He  must 
also  avoid  too  much  familiarity  with  bad  people,  and  the  squandering 
away  his  time  in  too  much  vain  and  idle  discourse.  His  cheerfulness 
ought  to  be  frank,  but  neither  excessive  nor  licentious.  His  friends 
and  his  garden  ought  to  be  his  chief  diversions,  as  his  study  and  his 
parish  ought  to  be  his  chief  employments. — Bishop  Burnet’s  Disc,  of 
the  pastoral  care.^  ch.  viii. 

^ — Inventi  sunt  qui,  cum  ipsi  doctrina  et  ingeniis  abundarent,  a re 
autem  civili  eta  negotiis,  animi  quodam  judicio  abhorrerent,  hanc  di- 


74 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


principles  of  morality,  and  a sedate,  just  way  of  reasoning. 
Plato  therefore  having  shown  what  a ridiculous  turn  of  mind 
these  men  had ; represents  Socrates  as  diverting  himself  with 
their  folly,  and  facetiously  puzzling  the  two  orators  so  much 
that  they  could  not  tell  him  what  eloquence  is.  Then  he 
proves  that  rhetoric,  (which  was  the  profession  of  these  de- 
claimers,)  is  not  truly  an  art;  for,  according  to  him,  ‘ an  art 
is  a regular  discipline,  which  teaches  men  to  do  something 
that  will  help  to  make  them  wiser  and  better  than  they  are.^ 
So  that  he  allows  of  no  other  arts  but  the  liberal  ones ; and 
he  shows  that  even  these  are  perverted,  when  they  are  ap- 
plied to  any  other  end  besides  training  up  men  to  virtue. 
He  proves  that  this  was  not  the  aim  of  the  rhetoricians,  that 
even  Themistocles  and  Pericles  had  quite  other  views,  and 
that  therefore  they  were  not  truly  orators.  He  says  those 
famous  men  only  persuaded  the  Athenians  to  make  harbors 
and  build  walls  and  obtain  victories;  they  only- made  their 
citizens  wealthy,  warlike  and  powerful,  and  were  afterwards 
ill  treated  for  it ; which  was  really  no  more  than  they  might 
have  expected.  If  they  had  rendered  the  people  good  and 
virtuous  by  their  rhetoric,  they  would  have  been  sure  of  a 
just  recompense;  for  he  who  makes  men  upright  and  good, 
cannot  lose  the  reward  of  his  labor,  seeing  virtue  and  in- 
gratitude are  inconsistent.  I need  not  tell  you  all  the  argu- 
ments he  uses  to  show  how  useless  such  false  rhetoric  is ; for, 
all  that  I have  said  hitherto  on  this  point,  in  my  own  name, 
is  really  taken  from  him.  It  will  be  more  proper  to  repre- 
sent to  you  what  he  says  of  the  evils  that  these  vain  haranguers 
occasioned  in  the  republic. 

B.  It  is  evident  that  such  rhetoricians  were  dangerous  in 
the  Grecian  commonwealths,  where  they  could  mislead  the 
people  and  usurp  the  government. 

A,  That  is  the  chief  danger  that  Socrates  apprehended 
from  them.  But  the  principles  he  lays  down,  on  this  occa- 
sion, reach  a great  deal  further.  In  fine,  though  you  and  I 
speak  now  of  ordering  a commonwealth,  our  inquiry  and  con- 
clusions are  not  applicable  to  democracy  alone,  but  to  every 


cendi  exercitationem  exagitarent  atque  contemneront.  Quorum 
princeps  Socrates  fuit,  is  qui  omnium  eruditorum  testimonio  totius- 
que  judicio  Graeciae  cum  prudentia  etacumine  et  venustate  et  subtili- 
tate,  turn  vero  eloquentia,  varietate,  copia,  quamcumque  in  partem 
dedisset,  omnium  fuit  facile  princeps — Cujus  ingenium  variosque  ser- 
mones  immortalitati  scriptis  suis  Plato  tradidit. — Cicero  de  Oral.  lib. 
iii.  § 16. 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


75 


kind  •of  government,  whether  it  be  strictly  a republic,  an 
aristocracy,  or  a monarchy.  So  that  the  particular  form  of 
government  does  not  enter  into  the  present  question.  For 
in  all  countries,  the  rules  of  Socrates  are  equally  useful. 

C,  I wish  you  would  explain  them  to  us. 

A.  He  says  that,  seeing  a man  is  composed  of  a mind  and 
a body,  he  ought  to  improve  them  both.  Now  there  are 
two  arts  that  concern  the  mind  ; and  two  otljers,  that  relate 
to  the  body.  The  two  that  belong  to  the  mind,  are  moral 
philosophy  and  the  knowdedge  of  the  national  laws.  Under 
the  head  of  moral  philosophy  he  comprehends  the  laws  of  na- 
ture and  nations,  and  all  those  dictates  of  philosophy  that 
are  proper  to  govern  the  inclinations  and  manners  of  the 
whole  republic,  as  well  as  of  every  individual  member  of  it. 
He  considered  the  second  art,  as  a remedy  that  is  to  be  used 
to  suppress  falsehood,  injustice,  and  the  like  disorders  among 
the  citizens:  for,  by  it  lawsuits  are  determined,  and  crimes 
are  punished.  So  that  moral  philosophy  serves  to  prevent 
evil,  and  the  knowledge  of  the  law^s  and  constitution,  to  pun- 
ish it.  There  are  likewise  two  arts  for  managing  the  body ; 
the  gymnastic  art,  which  by  due  exercise  and  temperance 
renders  it  healthy,  active,  vigorous  and  graceful,  (for,  you 
know.  Sir,  the  ancients  made  a wonderful  use  of  this  art, 
which  we  have  now  quite  lost,)  and  the  knowledge  of  physic 
ivhich  cures  the  body  wdien  its  health  is  lost,  or  impaired. 
The  gymnastic  art  assists  the  body,  as  moral  philosophy  doth 
the  soul,  namely,  to  form  and  improve  it ; and  skill  in  medi- 
cine is  helpful  to  the  body,  as  the  knowledge  of  the  laws  is 
to  the  mind,  for  correcting  and  curing  disorders.  But  this 
wise  institution  was  altered,  says  Socrates ; instead  of  a solid, 
practical  philosophy,  we  have  only  the  vain  subtilty  of  wrang- 
ling sophists ; a set  of  spurious  philosophers,  who  abuse  rea- 
son, and,  having  no  sense  of  public  good,  aim  only  at  pro- 
moting their  own  selfish  ends.  Instead  of  attaining  a thorough 
insight  into  the  national  laws,  people  are  amused  and  misled 
by  the  vain-glorious  ostentation  of  these  rhetoricians,  who  en- 
deavor only  to  please  and  dazzle  the  mind ; and  instead  of 
recommending  the  knowledge  of  the  public  constitution,  and 
the  administration  of  justice,  (which  being  the  medicine  of 
the  soul,  should  be  applied  to  cure  its  disorderly  passions,) 
these  false  orators  think  of  nothing  but  how  to  spread  their 
own  reputation.  And  with  regard  to  the  body,  says  Socra- 
tes, the  gymnastic  art  begins  to  be  exchanged  for  skill  in 


76 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


dress,  which  gives  the  body  but  false,  deceitful  ornaments. 
Whereas  we  ought  to  desire  only  such  a natural  comeliness 
as  results  from  health  of  body,  and  due  proportion  of  its  mem- 
bers; which  must  be  acquired  and  preserved  by  temperance 
and  exercise.  The  proper  and  seasonable  use  of  medicine 
is  likewise  laid  aside,  to  make  room  for  delicious  dishes,  and 
such  palatable  things  as  raise  and  ensnare  the  appetite.  And 
instead  of  carrying  off  gross  humors  from  the  body  by  proper 
evacuations,  to  restore  its  health ; nature  is  clogged  and  over- 
charged, and  a false  appetite  is  excited  by  all  the  various 
ways  of  luxury  and  intemperance.  He  farther  observes,  that 
those  orators,  who  in  order  to  cure  men  should  have  given 
them  bitter  physic,  and  with  authority  have  inculcated  the 
most  disagreeable  truths ; have  on  the  contrary  done  for  the 
mind,  what  cooks  do  foi  the  body  ; their  rhetoric  is  only  an 
art  of  dressing  up  delicacies  to  gratify  the  corrupted  taste  of 
the  people.  All  their  concern  is  to  please  and  soothe  them, 
by  raising  their  curiosity  and  admiration.  For  these  declaim- 
ers  harangue  only  for  themselves.  He  concludes  his  remarks 
with  asking,  where  are  those  citizens  whom  the  rhetoricians 
have  cured  of  their  vicious  habits?  Whom  have  they  made 
sober  and  virtuous?  Thus  Socrates  describes  the  general 
disorders,  and  corruption  of  manners  that  prevailed  in  his 
time.  But  does  he  not  talk  like  one  of  the  present  age,  who 
observes  what  passes  among  us,  and  speaks  of  the  abuses  that 
reign  in  our  own  days  ? Now  that  you  have  heard  the  sen- 
timents of  this  wise  heathen,  what  do  you  say  of  that  elo- 
quence which  tends  only  to  please  and  give  pretty  descrip- 
tions; when  (as  he  says)  we  ought  to  cauterize,  and  cut  to 
the  quick,  and  earnestly  endeavor  to  cure  people’s  minds  by 
the  bitterness  of  remedies,  and  the  severity  of  an  abstemious 
diet?  1 appeal  to  your  own  judgment  in  this  case;  if  you 
were  sick,  would  you  be  pleased  with  a physician,  who  in 
the  extremity  of  your  illness  should  waste  his  time,  and  amuse 
you  with  explaining  to  you  some  fine  hypothesis  in  an  elegant 
style,  instead  of  making  pertinent  inquiries  into  the  cause 
and  symptoms  of  your  distemper,  and  prescribing  suitable 
remedies?  Or,  in  a trial  at  law,  where  your  estate  or  your 
life  w^ere  at  stake,  what  would  you  think  of  your  lawyer,  if  he 
should  play  the  wit  in  your  defence,  and  fill  his  pleading  with 
flowers  of  rhetoric  and  quaint  turns,  instead  of  arguing  with 
gravity,  strength  of  reason,  and  earnestness,  to  gain  your 
cause?  Our  natural  love  of  life  and  well-being,  shows  us 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


77 


plainly  the  absurdity  of  false  oratory,  and  of  the  unseason- 
able ostentation  of  it,  in  such  cases  as  I have  now  mention- 
ed ; but  we  are  so  strangely  unconcerned  about  religion,  and 
the  moral  conduct  of  life,  that  we  do  not  observe  the  same 
absurdity  in  careless,  vain-glorious  orators,  who  yet  ought  to 
be  the  spiritual  physicians  and  censors  of  the  people.  In- 
deed, the  sentiments  of  Socrates  on  this  subject  ought  to 
make  us  ashamed. 

B,  I perceive  clearly  enough,  that,  according  to  your 
reasoning,  orators  ought  to  be  the  defenders  of  the  laws,  and 
instructers  of  the  people,  to  teach  them  true  wisdom  and 
virtue.  But  among  the  Romans,  the  rhetoric  of  the  bar  was 
otherwise  employed. 

A.  That  was  certainly  the  end  of  it.  For,  when  orators 
had  not  occasion  to  represent  in  their  discourses  the  general 
wants  of  the  republic,  they  were  obliged  to  protect  innocence 
and  the  rights  of  particular  persons.  And  it  was  on  this  ac- 
count that  their  profession  was  so  much  honored,  and  that 
Tully  gives  us  such  a lofty  character  of  a true  orator.i 

B,  Let  us  hear  then  how  orators  ought  to  speak.  I long 
to  know  your  thoughts  on  this  point,  seeing  you  deny  the 
finical,  florid  manner  of  Isocrates,  which  is  so  much  admired 
and  imitated  by  others. 

A,  Instead  of  giving  you  my  opinion,  I shall  go  on  to  lay 
before  you  the  rules  that  the  ancients  give  us,  but  I shall 
only  touch  upon  the  chief  points ; for,  I suppose,  you  do  not 
expect  that  I should  enter  into  an  endless  detail  of  the  pre- 
cepts of  rhetoric.  There  are  but  too  many  useless  ones; 
which  you  must  have  read  in  those  books  where  they  are 
copiously  explained.  It  will  be  enough  if  we  consider  the 
most  important  rules.  Plato  in  his  Phaedrus  shows  us,  that 

' Neque  vero  mihi  qaidquam  praestabilius  videtur,  quam  posse  di- 
cendo  lenere  liominum  coetus,  mentes  allicere,  voluntates  impel- 
lere  quo  velit : unde  autem  velit,  deducere.  Haec  una  res  in  omni 
libero  populo,  maximeque  in  pacatis  tranquillisqiie  civitatibus  prae- 
cipue  semper  floruit,  semperque  dorninata  est.  Quid  enim  est  aut 
tain  admirabile,  quam  ex  infinita  multitudine  hominum  existere  unum, 
qui  id  quod  omnibus  natura  sit  datum,  vel  solus,  vel  cum  paucis 
facere  possit? — aut  tarn  potens,  tamque  magnificum,  quam  populi 
motus,  judicum  religiones,  senatus  gravitatem,  unius  oratione  con- 
verti  ? — Ac  ne  plura,  quae  sunt  pene  innumerabilia,  consecter,  com- 
prehendam  brevi  ; sic  enim  statuo,  perfect!  oratoris  moderatione  et 
sapientia,  non  solum  ipsius  dignitatem,  sed  et  privatorum  plurimo- 
rum  et  universae  reipublicae  salutem  maxime  contineri. — Cic.  de. 
Oral.  lib.  i.  § 8. 


7* 


78  DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 

the  greatest  fault  of  rhetoricians  is,  their  studying  the  art  of 
persuasion,  before  they  have  learned,  (from  the  principles  of 
true  philosophy,)  what  those  things  are  of  which  they  ought 
to  persuade  men.  He  would  have  orators  begin  with  the 
study  of  mankind  in  general ; and  then  apply  themselves  to 
the  knowledge  of  the  particular  genius  and  manners  of  those, 
whom  they  may  have  occasion  to  instruct  and  persuade.  So 
that  they  ought  first  of  all  to  know  the  nature  of  man,  his 
chief  end  and  his  true  interest,  the  parts  of  which  he  is  com- 
posed, his  mind  and  his  body,  and  the  true  way  to  make 
him  happy.  They  ought  likewise  to  understand  his  passions, 
the  disorders  they  are  subject  to,  and  the  art  of  governing 
them  ; how  they  may  be  usefully  raised  and  employed  on 
what  is  truly  good  ; and,  in  fine,  the  proper  rules  to  make 
him  live  in  peace  and  discharge  his  duties  in  society.  After 
this  general  study,  comes  that  which  is  particular. 

Orators  ought  to  know  the  laws  and  customs  of  their 
country,  and  how  far  they  are  agreeable  to  the  genius  and 
temper  of  the  people,  what  are  the  manners  of  the  several 
ranks  and  conditions  among  them,  their  different  ways  of 
education,  the  common  prejudices  and  separate  interests  that 
prevail  in  the  present  age,  and  the  most  proper  way  to  in- 
struct and  reform  the  people.  You  see.  Sir,  this  knowledge 
comprehends  all  the  solid  parts  of  philosophy  and  politics. 
So  that  Plato  meant  to  show  us  that  none  but  a philosopher 
can  be  a true  orator.  And  it  is  in  this  sense  we  must  un- 
derstand all  he  says  in  his  Gorgias,  against  the  rhetoricians ; 
I mean,  that  set  of  men  who  made  profession  of  talking  fine- 
ly and  persuading  others,  without  endeavoring  to  know,  from 
solid  philosophy,  what  one  ought  to  teach  them.  In  short, 
according  to  Plato,  the  true  art  of  oratory  consists  in  under- 
standing those  useful  truths  of  which  we  ought  to  convince 
people,  and  the  an  of  moving  their  passions,  in  order  to  per- 
suasion. Ciceroi^  says  almost  the  very  same  things.  He 
seems,  at  first,  to  think  that  an  orator  should  know  every- 
thing, because  he  may  have  occasion  to  speak  on  all  sorts  of 

* Ac  mea  quidem  sententia,  nemo  poteiitesse  omni  laude  cunm- 
latus  orator,  nisi  erit  omnium  rerum  magnarurn,  atque  artium  scien* 
tiam  consecutus. — De  Oral.  lib.  1.  § 6.  Oratorem  plenum  atque  per- 
fectum  esse  eum  dicam,  qui  de  omnibus  rebus  possit  varie  copioseque 
dicere? — Ibid.  § 13.  Verum  enim  oratori  quae  sunt  in  hominum  vita, 
quandoquidem  in  ea  versatur  orator,  atque  ea  est  ei  subjecta  materies, 
omnia  quaesita,  audita,  lecta,  disputata,  tractata,  agitata  esse  debent. 
—Lib.  iii.  § 14. 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


79 


subjects  ; and  (as  Socrates  observed  before  hini)i  a man  can 
never  talk  well  on  a point  of  which  he  is  not  entirely  master. 
But  afterwards,  because  of  the  pressing  necessities  and  short- 
ness of  life,  Tully  insists  only  upon  those  parts  of  knowledge 
that  he  thinks  the  most  necessary  for  an  orator.  He  would 
have  him  at  least  well  instructed  in  all  that  part  of  philosophy  ,2 
which  relates  to  the  conduct  and  affairs  of  social  life.  But 
above  all  things,  he  would  have  an  orator^  know  the  fame  of 
man,  both  with  regard  to  his  soul  and  body,  and  the  natural 
tendency  and  force  of  his  passions  ; because  the  great  end  of 
eloquence  is  to  move  the  secret  springs  of  them.  He  reckons 
the  knowledge  of  the  laws  and  constitution,  to  be  the  foun- 
dation of  all  public  discourses;  but  he  does  not  think  a 
thorough  insight  into  all  the  particular  cases  and  questions 
in  law  to  be  necessary,  because  upon  occasion  one  may  have 
recourse  to  experienced  lawyers,  whose  peculiar  profession  it 
is  to  understand  and  disentangle  such  intricate  points.  He 
thinks,  with  Plato,  that  an  orator  should  be  a master  of  rea- 
soning,^ and  know  how  to  define,  and  argue,  and  unravel  the 
most  specious  sophisms.  He  says  we  destroy  eloquence,  if 
we  should  separate  it  from  philosophy,  for  then,  instead  of 
wise  orators,  we  should  have  only  trifling,  injudicious  de- 


^ Etenim  ex  lerum  cognitione  efflorescat,  et  redundet  oportet  ora- 
tio;  quae  nisi  subest  res  ab  oratore  percepta  et  cognita,  inanem  quan- 
dam  habet  elocutionem  et  pene  puerilem. — De  Oral.  lib.  i.  § 6. 

^ Positum  sit  igitur  in  primis — sine  philosophia  non  posse  effici, 
quem  quaerimus  eloquentem — Nec  vero  sine  philosophorum  discipli- 
na,  genus  et  speciem  cujusque  rei  cernere,  neque  earn  deliniendo 
explicare,  nec  tribuere  in  partes  possurnus;  nec  judicare,  quae  vera, 
quae  falsa  sint;  neque  cernere  consequentia,  repugnantia  videre,  am- 
bigua  distinguere.  Quid  dicam  de  natura  rerum,  cujus  cognitio 
magnam  orationis  suppeditat  copiarn  ? De  vita,  de  officiis,  de  virtute, 
de  moribus  ? — Oral.  § 4. 

* Omnes  animorum  motus,  quos  hominum  generi  rerum  natura 
tribuit,  penitus  pernoscendi. — De  Oral.  lib.  i.  § 5. — Nurn  admoveri 
possit  oratio  ad  sensus  animorum  atque  motus  vel  inflammandos,  vel 
etiam  extinguendos,  (quod  unum  in  oratore  dominatur),  sine  diligen- 
tissima  pervestigatione  earum  omnium  ration um  quae  de  naturis  hu- 
mani  generis  ac  moribus,  a philosophis  explicantur. — De  Oral.  lib.  i. 
§ 14.  Quare  hie  locus  de  vita  et  moribus,  totus  est  oratori  perdiscen- 
dus. — Ibid.  § 15. 

^ Nec  vero  dialecticis  modo  sit  instructus,  sed  habeat  omnes  phi- 
losophiae  notos  et  tractates  locos.  Nihil  enim  de  religione,  nihil  de 
morte,  nihil  de  pietate,  nihil  de  caritate  patriae,  nihil  de  bonis  rebus, 
aut  inalis,  nihil  de  virtutibus,  aut  vitiis — nihil,  inquam,  sine  ea  scien- 
tia,  quam  dixi,  graviter,  ample,  copiose  dici  et  explicari  potest. — Oral. 
§ 33. 


80  DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 

claimers.  He  further  requires  not  only  an  exact  knowledge 
of  all  the  principles  of  ethics,  but  likewise  that  the  orator  be 
fully  acquainted  with  antiquityJ  He  recommends  the  care- 
ful perusal  of  the  ancient  Greek  writers,  especially  the  his- 
torians, both  for  their  style,  and  for  the  historical  facts  they 
relate.  He  particularly  enjoins'^  the  study  of  the  poets,  be- 
cause of  the  great  resemblance  there  is  between  the  figures 
of  poetry  and  those  of  eloquence.  In  fine,  he  often  declares 
that  an  orator  ought  to  furnish  his  mind  with  a clear,  com- 
prehensive view  of  things,  before  he  attempt  to  speak  in  pub- 
lic. I fancy  I could  almost  repeat  some  of  his  words  on  this 
subject ; so  often  have  I read  them,  and  so  strong  an  impres- 
sion did  they  make  on  my  thoughts.  You  will  be  surprised 
to  see  how  much  knowledge,  and  how  many^  qualities  he  re- 
quires. * An  orator/  says  he,  ‘ ought  to  have  the  acuteness 
of  logicians,  the  knowledge  of  philosophers,  the  style  almost 
of  the  poets,  the  elocution  and  gesture  of  the  finest  actors.’ 
Consider  now  how  much  application  is  necessary  to  attain  all 
this. 


^ Cognoscat  etiam  rerum  gestarurn  et  memoriae  veteris  ordinem, 
maxime  scilicet  nostrae  civitatis,  sed  et  imperiosorum  populorum  et 
regum  illustrium — Nescire  autem  quid  antea  quam  natus  sis  acciderit, 
id  est  semper  esse  puerum— Commemoratio  autem  antiquitatisexem- 
plorumque  prolatio  summa  cum  delectatione,  et  auctoritatem  ora- 
tioni  afFert  et  fidem. — Oral.  § 34.  Apud  Graecos  autem  eloquen- 
tissimi  homines  remoti  a causis  forensibus,  cum  ad  caeteras  res  illus- 
tres,  turn  ad  scribendam  historiam  maxime  se  applicaverunt.  Nam- 
que  et  Herodotus — Et  post  ilium  Thucydides  omnes  dicendi  artificio 
mea  sententia  facile  vicit — Denique  etiam  a philosophia  profectus 
princeps  Xenophon. — De  Oral.  lib.  ii.  § 13,  14. 

2 Legendi  etiam  poetae,  cognoscenda  historia,  omnium  bonarum 
artium  scriptures. — De  Drat.  lib.  i.  § 34.  Est  enim  finitimus  oratori 
poeta,  numeris  adstrictior  paulo,  verborum  autem  licentia  liberior  ; 
multis  vero  ornandi  generibus  socius  ac  pene  par ; in  hoc  quidem 
certe  prope  idem,  nuliis  ut  terminis  circumscribat  aut  definiat  jus 
suum,  quo  minus  ei  liceat  eadem  ilia  facultate  et  copia  vagari  qua 
velit. — Ibid.  § 16. 

3 Non  quaeritur  mobilitas  linguae,  non  celeritas  verborum,  non 
denique  ea  quae  nobis  nori  possumus  fingere,  facies,  vultus,  sonus. 
In  oratore  autem  acumen  dialecticorum,  sententiae  philosophorum, 
verba  prope  poetarum,  memoria  juris  consultorum,  vox  tragoedorum, 
gestus  pene  sumrnorum  actorum,  est  requirendus.  Quamobrem  ni- 
hil in  hominum  genere  rarius  perfecto  oratore  inveniri  potest ; quae 
enim,  singularurn  rerum  artifices,  singula  si  mediocriter  adepti  sunt, 
probantur,  ea,  nisi  omnia  summa  sunt  in  oratore,  probari  nonpossunt. 
— De  Oral.  lib.  i.  § 28. 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


81 


C.  I have  observed,  indeed,  on  several  occasions,  that 
some  orators,  though  they  have  good  natural  parts,  want  a 
fund  of  solid  knowledge.  Their  heads  seem  unfurnished, 
and  one  cannot  but  perceive  they  labor  hard  for  matter  to 
fill  up  their  discourses.  They  do  not  seem  to  speak  from 
the  abundance  of  their  hearts,  as  if  they  were  full  of  useful 
truths ; but  they  talk  as  if  they  were  at  a loss  for  the  very 
next  thing  they  are  to  say. 

A.  Cicero  takes  notice  of  this  kind  of  people ; who  live 
always,  as  it  were,  from  hand  to  mouth,  without  laying  up 
any  stock  of  provision.  But  the  discourses  of  such  declaim- 
ers  appear  always  thin  and  half-starved,  whatever  pains  they 
take  about  them.  Though  these  men  could  afford  three 
months  for  studying  a public  harangue,  such  particular  pre- 
parations, however  troublesome,  must  needs  be  very  imper- 
fect, and  any  judicious  hearer  will  easily  discern  their  de- 
fects. They  ought  to  have  employed  several  years  in  laying 
up  a plentiful  store  of  solid  notions  ; and  then  after  such  a 
general  preparation,  their  particular  discourses  would  cost 
them  but  little  pains.  Whereas,  if  a man,  without  this  pre- 
paratory study,  lay  out  all  his  application  upon  particular  sub- 
jects, he  is  forced  to  put  off  his  hearers  with  florid  expressions, 
gaudy  metaphors,  and  jingling  antitheses.  He  delivers  no- 
thing but  indeterminate  common-place  notions  ; and  patches 
together  shreds  of  learning  and  rhetoric,  which  any  one  may 
see  were  not  made  one  for  another.  He  never  goes  to  the 
bottom  of  things,  but  stops  in  superficial  remarks,  and  oft- 
times  in  false  ones.  He  is  not  able  to  show  truths  in  their 
proper  light  and  full  extent,  because  all  general  truths  are 
necessarily  connected  among  themselves,  so  that  one  must 
understand  almost  all  of  them,  before  he  can  treat  judiciously 
of  any  one. 

C.  However,  many  of  our  public  speakers  get  repute  by 
those  slight  attainments  you  so  much  despise. 

A.  It  is  true,  they  are  applauded  by  women  and  the  un- 
discerning multitude,  who  are  easily  dazzled  and  imposed 
on  ; but  this  repute  is  very  precarious,  and  could  not  subsist 
long,  if  it  w^ere  not  supported  by  a cabal  of  acquaintance,  and 
the  zeal  or  humor  of  a party.  They  who  know  the  true  end 
and  rules  of  eloquence  cannot  hear  such  empty  vain  haran- 
guers,  without  satiety,  disgust,  and  contempt. 

C.  It  seems  then  you  would  have  a man  wait  several  years 
before  he  attempt  to  speak  in  public ; for  the  flower  of  his 


82  DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 

age  must  be  spent  in  attaining  that  vast  fund  of  knowledge, 
which  you  reckon  necessary  to  an  orator,  and  then  he  must 
be  so  far  advanced  in  years,  that  he  will  have  but  little  time 
to  exert  his  talents. 

A.  I would  have  him  begin  to  exert  them  betimes,  for  I 
know  very  well  how  great  the  power  of  action  is.  But  un- 
der the  pretence  of  exercising  his  parts,  I would  not  have  him 
immediately  engage  himself  in  any  kind  of  employment  that 
will  take  off  his  mind  from  his  studies.  A youth  may  try  his 
skill  from  time  to  time  ; but  for  several  years,  a careful  peru- 
sal of  the  best  authors  ought  to  be  his  main  business. 

C.  Your  judicious  observation  puts  me  in  mind  of  a preach- 
er I am  acquainted  with,  who  lives,  as  you.  say,  from  hand  to 
mouth,  and  never  thinks  of  any  subject  till  he  be  obliged  to 
treat  of  it ; and  then  he  shuts  himself  up  in  his  closet,  turns 
over  his  concordance,  combefix,  and  polyanthea,  his  collec- 
tions of  sermons,  and  common-place  book  of  separate  sen- 
tences and  book  quotations  that  he  has  gathered  together. 

A,  You  cannot  but  perceive.  Sir,  that  this  method  will 
never  make  him  an  able,  judicious  preacher.  In  such  cases, 
a man  cannot  talk  with  strength  and  clearness ; he  is  not 
sure  of  anything  he  says,  nor  doth  anything  flow  easily  from 
him.  His  whole  discourse  has  a borrowed  air,  and  looks 
like  an  awkward  piece  of  patchwork.  Certainly  those  are 
much  to  be  blamed,  who  are  so  impatiently  fond  of  showing 
their  parts. 

B.  Before  you  leave  us.  Sir,  pray  tell  us  what  you  reckon 
the  chief  effect  of  eloquence. 

A.  Plato  says  an  oration  is  so  far  eloquent  as  it  affects  the 
hearer’s  mind.  By  this  rule  you  may  judge  certainly  of  any 
discourse  you  hear  ; if  an  harangue  leave  you  cold  and  lan- 
guid, and  only  amuses  your  mind  instead  of  enlightening  it, 
if  it  does  not  move  your  heart  and  passions,  however  florid 
and  pompous  it  may  be,  it  is  not  truly  eloquent.  Tully  ap- 
proves of  Plato’s  sentiments  on  this  point ; and  tells  us^  that 
the  whole  drift  and  force  of  a discourse  should  tend  to  move 
those  secret  springs  of  action  that  nature  has  placed  in  the 
hearts  of  men.  Would  you  then  consult  your  own  mind  to 
know  whether  those  you  hear  be  truly  eloquent?  If  they 
make  a lively  impression  upon  you,  and  gain  your  attention 
and  assent  to  what  they  say ; if  they  move  and  animate  your 


Lib.  i.  § 5.  lib.  Vu  § 82. 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


83 


passions,  so  as  to  raise  you  above  yourself,^  you  may  be  as- 
sured they  are  true  orators.  But  if  instead  of  affecting  you 
thus,  they  only  please  or  divert  you,  and  make  you  admire 
the  brightness  of  their  thoughts,  or  the  beauty  and'  propriety 
of  their  language,  you  may  freely  pronounce  them  to  be  mere 
declaimers. 

B.  Stay  a little.  Sir,  if  you  please,  till  I ask  you  a few  more 
questions. 

A.  I wish  I could  stay  longer,  gentlemen,  for  your  conver- 
sation is  very  engaging ; but  I have  an  affair  to  despatch 
which  will  not  admit  of  delay.  To-morrow  I will  wait  on 
you  again,  and  then  we  shall  finish  this  subject  at  leisure. 

B,  Adieu,  then.  Sir,  till  to-morrow. 


SECOND  DIALOGUE. 

B.  You  are  extremely  kind.  Sir,  in  coming  so  punctually. 
Your  conversation  yesterday  was  so  agreeably  instructive, 
that  we  longed  impatiently  to  hear  you  again  upon  the  same 
subject. 

C.  For  my  part,  I made  what  haste  I could,  lest  I should 
have  come  too  late;  for  I was  unwilling  to  lose  any  part  of 
your  discourse. 

A,  Such  conferences  are  very  useful  among  those  who  re- 
ally love  truth,  and  talk  with  temper  ; for  then  they  exchange 
their  best  thoughts,  and  express  them  as  clearly  as  they 
can.  As  for  myself,  gentlemen,  I find  an  advantage  in  con- 
versing with  you ; seeing  you  are  not  displeased  at  the  free- 
dom I take. 

B,  Let  us  leave  off  compliments.  Sir  ; I know  best  how  to 
judge  of  myself,  and  I perceive  clearly  that  without  your  as- 
sistance I should  have  continued  in  several  errors.  I entreat 
you.  Sir.,  to  go  on,  and  set  me  entirely  right  in  my  notions  of 
eloquence. 

A,  Your  mistakes,  (if  you  will  allow  me  to  call  them  so,) 
prevail  among  most  people  of  worth  and  learning,  who  have 
not  examined  this  matter  to  the  bottom. 


^ See  Longinus^  § vii. 


84 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


B.  Let  us  lose  no  time  in  preamble ; we  shall  have  a 
thousand  things  to  say.  Proceed,  therefore,  Sir,  to  rec- 
tify my  mistakes,  and  begin  at  the  point  where  we  left  off  yes- 
terday. 

A.  Of  what  point  were  we  talking,  when  we  parted  ? I 
have  really  forgotten. 

C.  You  were  speaking  of  that  kind  of  eloquence  which 
consists  entirely  in  moving  the  passions. 

B.  Yes  ; but  I could  not  well  comprehend  that  the  whole 
design  of  rhetoric  is  to  move  the  passions.  Is  that  your  opin- 
ion, Sir  ? 

A,  By  no  means. 

C.  It  seems  then  I mistook  you  yesterday. 

A,  What  would  you  say  of  a man,  who  should  persuade 
without  any  proof,  and  affect  his  hearers,  without  enlighten- 
ing them  ? You  could  not  reckon  him  a true  orator.  He 
might  seduce  people  by  this  art  of  persuading  them  to  what 
he  would,  without  showing  them  that  what  he  recommends 
is  right.  Such  a person  must  prove  very  dangerous  in  the 
commonwealth,  as  we  have  seen  before  from  the  reasoning  of 
Socrates. 

B.  It  is  very  true. 

A,  But  on  the  other  hand,  what  would  you  think  of  a man, 
who  in  his  public  discourses  should  demonstrate  the  truth,  in 
a plain,  dry,  exact,  methodical  manner  ; or  make  use  of  the 
geometrical  way  of  reasoning,  without  adding  anything  to 
adorn  or  enliven  his  discourse  ? Would  you  reckon  him  an 
orator  ? 

B,  No ; I should  think  him  a philosopher  only. 

A.  To  make  a complete  orator  then,  we  must  find  a phi- 
losopher, who  knows  both  how  to  demonstrate  any  truth,  and 
at  the  same  time,  to  give  his  accurate  reasoning  all  the  natu- 
ral beauty  and  vehemence  of  an  agreeable,  moving  discourse, 
to  render  it  entirely  eloquent.  And  herein  lies  the  differ- 
ence between  the  clear,  convincing  method  of  philosophy, 
and  the  affecting,  persuasive  art  of  eloquence. 

C,  What  do  you  say  is  the  difference  ? 

A,  I say  a philosopher’s  aim  is  merely  to  demonstrate  the 
truth,  and  gain  your  assent ; while  the  orator  not  only  con- 
vinces your  judgment,  but  commands  your  passions. 

C.  I do  not  take  your  meaning  exactly,  yet.  When  a 
hearer  is  fully  convinced,  what  is  there  more  to  be  done? 

A.  There  is  still  wanting  what  an  orator  would  do  more 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


85 


than  a metaphysician,  in  proving  the  existence  of  God.  The 
metaphysician  would  give  you  a plain  demonstration  of  it, 
and  stop  at  the  speculative  view  of  that  important  truth.  But 
the  orator  would  further  add  whatever  is  proper  to  excite  the 
most  affecting  sentiments  in  your  mind,  and  make  you  love 
that  glorious  Being  whose  existence  he  had  proved.  And 
this  is  what  we  call  persuasion. 

C,  Now  I understand  you  perfectly  well. 

A,  You  see  then  what  reason  Cicero  had  to  say,  that  we' 
must  never  separate  philosophy  from  eloquence.  For,  the 
art  of  persuading  without  wisdom  and  previous  instruction,, 
must  be  pernicious  : and  wisdom  alone,  without  the  art  of  per- 
suasion, can  never  have  a sufficient  influence  on  the  minds 
of  men,  nor  allure  them  to  the  love  and  practice  of  virtue. 
I thought  it  proper  to  observe  this  by  the  by,  to  show  you  how 
much  those  of  the  last  age  were  mistaken  in  their  notions  of 
this  matter.  For,  on  the  one  hand,  there  were  some  men  of 
polite  learning,  who  valued  nothing  but  the  purity  of  lan- 
guage, and  books  elegantly  written,  but  having  no  solid  prin- 
ciples of  knowledge  with  their  politeness  and  erudition,  they 
were  generally  libertines.  On  the  other  hand,  there  were  a 
set  of  dry,  formal  scholars,  who  delivered  their  instructions 
in  such  a perplexed,  dogmatical,  un affecting  manner  as  dis- 
gusted everybody.  Excuse  this  digression.  I return  now  to 
the  point ; and  must  remind  you  that  persuasion  has  this  ad- 
vantage beyond  mere  conviction  or  demonstration,  that  it  not 
only  sets  truth  in  the  fullest  light,  but  represents  it  as  amia- 
ble, and  engages  men  to  love  and  pursue  it.^  The  whole  art 
of  eloquence,  therefore,  consists  in  enforcing  the  clearest 
proofs  of  any  truth,  with  such  powerful  motives  as  may  affect 
the  hearers,  and  employ  their  passions  to  just  and  worthy 
ends;  to  raise  their  indignation  at  ingratitude,  their  horror 
against  cruelty,  their  compassion  for  the  miserable,  their  love 
of  virtue,  and  to  direct  every  other  passion  to  its  proper  ob- 
jects. This  is  what  Plato  calls  affecting  the  minds  of  an  au- 


' — Omnes  animorum  motus,  quos  hominum  generi  reriim  natura 
tribuit,  penitus  pernoscendi  ; quod  omnis  vis  ratioque  dicendi  in  eo- 
rum  qui  audiunt  mentibus  aut  sedandis  aiit  excitandis,  exprimenda 
est. — Cic.  De  Orat,  lib.  i.  § 5.  Maximaque  pars  orationis  admoven- 
da  est  ad  animorum  motus  nonnunquam,  aut  cohortatione  aut  com- 
memoratione  aliqua,  aut  in  spem,  aut  in  inetum,  aut  ad  cupiditatem, 
aut  ad  gloriam  concitandos,  saepe  etiam  a temeritate,  iracundiaj.spe, 
injuria,  credulitate  revocandos. — Ibid.  lib.  ii.  § 82. 

8 


86 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


dience,  and  moving  their  bowels.  Do  you  understand  me. 
Sir? 

B.  Very  plainly ; and  I see  too  that  eloquence  is  not  a 
trifling  invention  to  amuse  and  dazzle  people  with  pompous 
language,  but  that  it  is  a very  serious  art  and  serviceable  to 
morality. 

A.  It  is  both  a serious  and  a difficult  art.  For  which  rea- 
son, Tully  said  he  had  heard  several  persons  declaim  in  an 
elegant,  engaging  manner,  but  that  there  were  but  very  few 
complete  orators,  who  knew  how  to  seize  and  captivate  the 
heart. 

C,  I am  not  surprised  at  that,  for  I see  but  very  few  who 
aim  at  it ; nay,  I freely  own  that  Cicero  himself,  who  lays 
down  this  rule,  seems  oftentimes  to  forget  it.  What  do  you 
think  of  those  rhetorical  flowers  with  which  he  embellished 
his  harangues?  They  might  amuse  the  fancy,  but  could  not 
touch  the  heart. 

A.  We  must  distinguish.  Sir,  between  Tully^s  orations. 
Those  he  composed  in  his  youth,  (when  he  chiefly  aimed  at 
establishing  his  character,)  have  ofttimes  the  gay  defect  you 
speak  of.  He  was  then  full  of  ambition,  and  far  more  con- 
cerned for  his  own  fame,  than  for  the  justice  of  his  cause. 
And  this  will  always  be  the  case  when  people  employ  one  to 
plead  for  them,  who  regards  their  business  no  farther  than  as 
it  gives  him  an  opportunity  of  distinguishing  himself  and  of 
shining  in  his  profession.  Thus  we  find  that  among  the  Ro- 
mans, their  pleading  at  the  bar  was  ofttimes  nothing  else  but 
a pompous  declamation.  After  all,  we  must  own  thatTully^s 
youthful  and  most  elaborate  orations  show  a great  deal  of  his 
moving  and  persuasive  art.  But  to  form  a just  notion  of  it 
we  must  observe  the  harangues  he  made  in  his  more  advanced 
age,  for  the  necessities  of  the  republic.  For  then,  the  expe- 
rience he  had  in  the  weightiest  affairs,  the  love  of  liberty,  and 
the  fear  of  those  calamities  that  hung  over  his  head,  made 
him  display  the  utmost  efforts  of  his  eloquence.  When  he 
endeavored  to  support  and  revive  expiring  liberty,  and  to  an- 
imate the  commonwealth  against  Antony,  his  enemy,  you  do 
then  not  see  him  use  points  of  wit  and  quaint  antitheses  ; he  is 
truly  eloquent.  Everything  seems  artless,  as  it  ought  to  be 
when  one  is  vehement.  With  a negligent  air,  he  delivers  the 
most  natural  and  affecting  sentiments,  and  says  everything 
that  can  move  and  animate  the  passions. 

C,  You  have  often  spoken  of  witty  conceits  and  quaint 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


87 


turns.  Pray  what  do  you  mean  by  these  expressions  ? For 
I can  scarce  distinguish  those  witty  turns  from  the  other  or- 
naments of  discourse.  In  my  opinion,  all  the  embellishments 
of  speech  flow  from  wit  and  a vigorous  fancy. 

A.  But  Tully  thinks,  there  are  many  expressions  that  owe 
all  their  beauty  and  ornament  to  their  force  and  propriety  and 
to  the  nature  of  the  subject  they  are  applied  to. 

C.  I do  not  exactly  understand  these  terms ; be  pleased  to 
show  me  in  a familiar  way,  how  I may  readily  distinguish  be- 
tween a flash  of  wdt,  (or  quaint  turn,)  and  a solid  ornament 
or  noble,  delicate  thought.i 

A.  Reading  and  observation  will  teach  you  best ; there  are 
a hundred  different  sorts  of  witty  conceits. 

C.  But  pray.  Sir,  tell  me  at  least  some  general  mark  by 
which  I may  know  them  ; is  it  affectation  ? 

A.  Not  every  kind  of  affectation,  but  a fond  desire  to  please 
and  show  one’s  wit. 

C.  This  gives  me  some  little  light,  but  1 want  still  some  dis- 
tinguishing marks  to  direct  my  judgment. 

A.  I will  give  you  one,  then,  which  perhaps  will  satisfy 
you.  We  have  seen  that  eloquence  consists  not  only  in  giv- 
ing clear,  convincing  proofs,  but  likewise  in  the  art  of  mov- 
ing the  passions.  Now  in  order  to  move  them,  we  must  be 
able  to  paint  them  well,  with  their  various  objects  and  effects. 
So  that  I think  the  whole  art  of  oratory  may  be  reduced  to 
proving,  painting,  and  raising  the  passions.  Now  all  those 
pretty,  sparkling,  quaint  thoughts  that  do  not  tend  to  one  of 
these  ends,  are  only  witty  conceits.^ 


^ True  wit  is  nature  to  advantage  dress’d, 

What  oft  was  thought,  but  ne'er  so  well  express’d  ; 
Something,  whose  truth  convinced  at  sight  we  find, 

That  gives  us  back  the  image  of  our  mind. 

As  shades  more  sweetly  recommend  the  light, 

So  modest  plainness  sets  otf  sprightly  wit. 

For  works  may  have  more  wit  than  does  them  good, 

As  bodies  perish  through  excess  of  blood. 

Pope's  Essay  on  Criticism. 

^ 1 cannot  forbear  warning  you,  in  the  most  earnest  manner,  against 
endeavoring  at  wit  in  your  sermons,  because,  by  the  strictest  compu- 
tation, it  is  very  near  a million  to  one  that  you  have  none ; and  be- 
cause too  many  of  your  calling  have  consequently  made  themselves 
everlastingly  ridiculous  by  attempting  it.  I remember  several  young 
men  in  this  town,  who  could  never  leave  the  pulpit  under  half  a do- 
zen conceits  ; and  this  faculty  adhered  to  those  gentlemen  a longer 
or  a shorter  time,  exactly  in  proportion  to  their  several  degrees  ofdul- 


88 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


C.  What  do  you  mean  by  painting  1 I never  heard  that 
term  applied  to  rhetoric. 

A.  To  paint, ^ is  not  only  to  describe  things,  but  to  repre- 
sent the  circumstances  of  them,  in  such  a lively,^  sensible 
manner,  that  the  hearer  shall  fancy  he  almost  sees  them  with 
his  eyes.  For  instance;  if  a dry  historian  were  to  give  an 
account  of  Dido’s  death,  he  would  only  say,  she  was  over- 
whelmed with  sorrow  after  the  departure  of  ^neas,  and  that 
she  grew  weary  of  her  life,  so  went  up  to  the  top  of  her  pal- 
ace, and,  lying  down  on  her  funeral  pile,  she  stabbed  herself. 
Now  these  words  would  inform  you  of  the  fact ; but  you  do 
not  see  it.  When  you  read  the  story  in  Virgil,  he  sets  it  be- 
fore your  eyes.3  When  he  represents  all  the  circumstances 
of  Dido’s  despair,  describes  her  wild  rage,  and  death  already 
staring  in  her  aspect ; when  he  makes  her  speak  at  the 
sight  of  the  picture  and  sword  that  iEneas  left,  your  imagi- 
nation transports  you  to  Carthage,  where  you  see  the  Trojan 
fleet  leaving  the  shore,  and  the  queen  quite  inconsolable. 
You  enter  into  all  her  passions,  and  into  the  sentiments  of 
the  supposed  spectators.  It  is  not  Virgil  you  then  hear ; you 
are  too  attentive  to  the  last  words  of  the  unhappy  Dido,  to 
think  of  him.  The  poet  disappears,  and  we  see  only  what 
he  describes,  and  hear  those  only  whom  he  makes  to  speak. 
Such  is  the  force  of  a natural  imitation,  and  of  painting  in 
language.  Hence  it  comes  that  the  painters  and  the  poets 
are  so  nearly  related ; the  one  paints  for  the  eyes,  and  the 
other  for  the  ears,  but  both  of  them  ought  to  convey  the  live- 
liest pictures  to  people’s  imagination.  I have  taken  an  ex- 
ample from  a poet,  to  give  you  a livelier  image  of  what  I mean 
by  painting  in  eloquence ; for  poets  paint  in  a stronger  manner 
than  orators.  Indeed,  the  main  thing  in  which  poetry  differs 


ness  ; accordingly,  I am  told  that  some  of  them  retain  it  to  this  day. 
I heartily  wish  the  brood  were  at  an  end. — Swfft's  Letter  to  a Young 
Clergyman. 

^ See  Longinus,  § xv. 

® Plus  est  evidentia,  vel  ut  alii  dicunt,  repraesentatio,  quam  per- 
spicuitas;  et  illud  patet ; hoc  se  quodamrnodo  ostendit — Magna 
virtus  est,  res  de  quibus  loquimur,  dare  atque  ut  cerni  videan- 
tur,  enunciare.  Non  enim  satis  efficit,  neque  ut  debet  plane  domina- 
tur  oratio,  si  usque  ad  aures  valet,  atque  ea  sibi  judex,  de  quibus  cog- 
noscit,  narrari  credit,  non  exprimi,  et  oculis  mentis  ostendi — Atque 
hujus  summae,  judicio  quidem  meo,  virtutis  facillima  est  via.  Natu- 
ram  inlueamur,  hanc  sequamur. — (^uintU.  lib.  viii.  c.  3. 

^ iEneid,  lib.  iv. 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


89 


from  eloquence  is,  that  the  poet  paints  with  enthusiasm,  and 
gives  bolder  touches  than  the  orator.  But  prose  allows  of  paint- 
ing in  a moderate  degree ; for,  without  lively  descriptions, 
it  is  impossible  to  warm  the  hearer’s  fancy,  or  to  stir  his 
passions.  A plain  narrative  does  not  move  people  ; we  must 
not  only  inform  them  of  facts,  but  strike  their  senses  by  a 
lively,  moving  representation  of  the  manner  and  the  circum- 
stances of  the  facts  we  relate. 

C,  I never  reflected  on  this  before.  But  seeing  what  you 
call  painting  is  essential  to  oratory,  does  it  not  follow  that 
there  can  be  no  true  eloquence,  without  a due  mixture  of 
poetry  ? 

A.  You  are  right ; only  we  must  exclude  versification, 
that  is,  a strict  regard  to  the  quantity  of  syllables,  and  the 
order  of  words,  in  which  the  poet  is  obliged  to  express  his 
thoughts,  according  to  the  measure  or  verse  he  whites  in. 
Versification  indeed,  if  it  be  in  rhyme,  is  what  injudicious 
people  reckon  to  be  the  whole  of  poetry.  Some  fancy  them- 
selves to  be  poets,  because  they  have  spoken  or  written  in 
measured  words ; but  there  are  many  who  make  verses  without 
poetry,  and  others  are  very  poetical  without  making  verses. 
If  therefore  we  set  versifying  aside,  poetry  in  other  respects 
is  only  a lively  fiction  that  paints  nature.  And  if  one  has  not 
this  genius  for  painting,  he  will  never  be  able  to  imprint 
things  on  the  hearer’s  mind,  but  his  discourse  will  be  flat, 
languid  and  w^earisome.  Ever  since  the  fall  of  Adam,  men 
have  been  so  low  and  grovelling  that  they  are  inattentive  to 
moral  truths,  and  can  scarce  conceive  anything  but  what  af- 
fects their  senses.  In  this  consists  the  degeneracy  of  human 
nature.  People  grow  soon  weary  of  contemplation,  intellectu- 
al ideas  do  not  strike  their  imagination,  so  that  we  must  use 
sensible  and  familiar  images,  to  support  their  attention  and 
convey  abstracted  truths  to  their  minds.  Hence  it  came, 
that  soon  after  the  fall  the  religion  of  all  the  ancients  consist- 
ed of  poetry  and  idolatry,  which  were  always  joined  together 
in  their  various  schemes  of  superstition.  But  let  us  not  wan- 
der too  far ; you  see  plainly  that  poetry,  I mean,  the  live- 
ly painting  of  things,  is,  as  it  w^ere,  the  very  soul  of  elo- 
quence. 

C.  But  if  true  orators  be  poets,  I should  think  that  poets 
are  orators  too ; for  poetry  is  very  proper  to  persuade. 

A.  Yes;  they  have  the  very  same  end.  All  the  difference 
between  them  consists  in  w^hat  I have  told  you.  Orators 
8* 


90  DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 

are  not  possessed  with  that  enthusiasm,  which  fires  the  poet^s 
breast  and  renders  him  more  lively,  more  sublime,  and  bolder  in 
expression.  You  remember  the  passage  I quoted  from  Cicero. 

C.  Which?  is  it  not — 

A.  That  an  orator  ought  to  have  the  style  almost  of  a po- 
et : that  almost  points  out  the  difference  between  them. 

C.  I understand  you.  But  you  do  not  come  to  the  point 
you  proposed  to  explain  to  us. 

A.  Which? 

C.  The  rule  for  distinguishing  between  witty  turns  and  so- 
lid ornaments. 

A.  You  will  soon  comprehend  that.  For  of  what  use  in 
discourse  can  any  ornament  be,  that  does  not  tend  either  to 
prove^  to  paint,  or  to  affect  ? 

C.  It  may  serve  to  please. 

A.  We  must  distinguish  here  between  such  ornaments  as 
only  please,  and  those  that  both  please  and  persuade.  That 
which  serves  to  please  in  order  to  persuade,  is  good  and  solid ; 
thus  we  are  pleased  with  strong  and  clear  arguments.  The 
just  and  natural  emotions  of  an  orator  have  much  grace  and 
beauty  in  them,  and  his  exact  and  lively  painting  charms  us. 
So  that  all  the  necessary  parts  of  eloquence  are  apt  to  please, 
but  yet  pleasing  is  not  their  true  aim.  The  question  is,  whe- 
ther we  shall  approve  such  thoughts  and  expressions  as  may 
perhaps  give  an  amusing  delight,  but  in  other  respects,  are 
altogether  useless ; and  these  I call  quaint  terms,  and 
points  of  wit.  You  must  remember  now  that  I allow  all  those 
graces  of  style,  and  delicate  thoughts  that  tend  to  persuasion  ; 
I only  reject  those  vain,  affected  ornaments  that  the  self-con- 
ceited author  uses,  to  paint  his  own  character,  and  amuse 
others  with  his  wit,  instead  of  filling  their  minds  entirely  with 
his  subject.  In  fine,  I think  we  ought  to  condemn  not  only  all 
jingle  and  playing  with  words,  as  a thing  extremely  mean  and 
boyish,  but  even  all  witty  conceits,  and  fanciful  turns ; d 
mean  such  thoughts  as  only  flash  and  glitter  upon  the  fancy, 
but  contain  nothing  that  is  solid,  and  conducive  to  persua- 
sion. 

C.  I could  agree  to  that,  but  that  I am  afraid  such  severity 
would  retrench  the  chief  beauties  of  discourse. 

A.  Do  not  you  reckon  Homer  and  Virgil  very  agreeable 
authors?  are  they  not  the  most  delicate  you  ever  read?  and 
yet  in  them  you  do  not  find  what  we  call  points  of  wit.  Their 
poems  are  full  of  a noble  simplicity ; their  art  is  entirely  con- 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


91 


cealed  nature  itself  appears  in  all  that  they  say.  We  do 
not  find  a single  word  that  seems  purposely  designed  to  show 
the  poet’s  wit.  They  thought  it  their  greatest  glory  never 
themselves  to  appear,  but  to  employ  our  attention  on  the  ob- 
jects they  describe ; as  a painter  endeavors  to  set  before  your 
eyes  wide  forests,  mountains,  rivers,  distant  views  and  build- 
ings, or  the  adventures,  actions,  and  different  passions  of  men, 
in  such  a lively  manner,  that  you  cannot  trace  the  masterly 
Strokes  of  his  pencil ; for  art  looks  mean  and  coarse  when  it 
is  perceived.  Plato,  (who  had  examined  this  matter  more 
thoroughly  than  any  other  orator  or  critic,)  assures  us  that  in 
composing,  the  poet  should  always  keep  out  of  sight,  make 
himself  quite  forgotten  by  his  readers,  and  represent  only  those 
things  and  persons,  which  he  Would  set  before  their  eyes. 
You  see  how  much  the  ancients  excelled  us  in  just  and  lofty 
sentiments. 

B.  I see  the  use  and  necessity  of  painting,  in  eloquence ; 
let  us  next  know  the  nature  and  use  of  those  affecting  move- 
ments you  spoke  of. 

A.  They  serve  to  raise  in  the  hearer’s  mind  such  emotions 
as  answer  the  orator’s  purpose. 

C.  But  in  what  do  these  movements  of  an  orator  con- 
sist ? 

A.  In  his  words,  and  in  the  actions  of  his  body. 

B.  What  movement  can  there  be  in  words? 

A,  A great  deal.  Tully  tells  us,  that  the  very  enemies  of 
Gracchus  could  not  forbear  weeping  when  he  pronounced 
these  words'2 — ‘ Miserable  man  that  I am  ! Whither  shall  I 


' When  first  young  Maro  sung  of  kings  and  wars, 

’Ere  warning  Phoebus  touch’d  his  trembling  ears, 

Perhaps  he  seem’d  above  the  critic’s  law, 

And  but  from  nature’s  fountains  scorn’d  to  draw  ; 

But  when  t’  examine  every  part  he  came, 

JVature  and  Homer  were,  he  found,  the  same. 

Learn  hence  for  ancient  rules  a just  esteem  ; 

To  copy  nature  is  to  copy  them. 

Pope. 

* Quid  fuit  in  Graccho,  quem  tu,  Catule,  melius  meministi,  quod 
me  puero  tantopere  ferretur  ? quo  me  miser  confcram  ? quo  xertam  ? 
in  Capitoliumne  ? at  fratris  sanguine  redundat.  Jin  dowum  ? matrcmne 
ut  miseram  lamentamtcmque  videam,  et  ahjectam  ? quae  sic  ab  illo  ac- 
ta esse  constabat  oculis,  voce,  gestu,  inimici  ut  lachrymas  tenere  non 
possent.  Haec  eo  dico  pluribus,  quod  genus  hoc  totum  oratores,  qui 
sunt  veritatis  ipsius  actores,  reliquerunt ; irnitatores  autem  veritatis, 
histriones,  occupaverunt. — Cic.  de  Orat.  lib.  iii.  § 56. 


92  DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE, 

turn  myself?  Where  can  I go?  to  the  Capitol?  it  swims 
with  my  brother’s  blood.  Shall  I go  to  my  own  house  ? there 
to  see  my  unhappy  mother  dissolved  in  tears,  and  oppressed 
with  sorrow  V This  is  moving  language.  But  now  if  one 
were  to  say  the  same  things  in  a cold  manner,  they  would  lose 
all  their  force. 

jB.  Think  you  so? 

Let  us  try.  ‘ I know  not  where  to  go,  nor  whither  I 
should  turn  myself,  amidst  my  misfortunes.  The  Capitol  is 
the  place  where  my  brother’s  blood  was  shed : and  at  home, 
I shall  see  ray  unhappy  mother,  lamenting  her  condition,  with 
the  utmost  grief.’  This  is  the  same  thing  that  was  said  be- 
fore ; but  what  has  become  of  that  force  and  vivacity  we  then 
perceived  ? Where  is  that^  vehement  manner,  and  abrupt 
language,  which  so  justly  describes  nature  in  the  transports 
of  grief?  The  manner  of  saying  a thing  shows  how  it  affects 
the  mind,  and  that  is  what  most  effectually  touches  the  hear- 
er. In  such. passages,  one  ought  studiously  to  avoid  all  re- 
fined, uncommon  thoughts,  and  even  neglect  connexion  and 
order ; otherwise  the  passion  described  has  no  appearance  of 
truth,  or  nature,  in  it.  Nothing  is  more  shocking  than  a 
passion  expressed  in  beautiful  figures,  pompous  language  and 
well-turned  periods.  On  this  head  I must  recommend  Lon- 
ginus^  to  you,  who  quotes  many  sublime  examples  from  De- 
mosthenes and  others. 

C.  Besides  the  movements  that  attended  an  affecting,  ve- 
hement style,  you  mentioned  others  that  flow  from  the  ora- 
tor’s gesture  and  action ; which  I must  entreat  you  to  ex- 
plain. 

A.  I cannot  pretend  to  give  you  a complete  system  of  rhe- 
toric. It  is  a task  I am  not  fit  for. . However  I shall  give 
you  some  remarks  I have  made  on  the  point  of  gesture.  We 
find  in  Tully  and  Quintilian,^  that  the  action  of  the  Greeks 
and  Romans  was  far  more  violent  than  ours.  They  stamped 
on  the  ground,  and  even  beat  their  forehead.  Tully  men- 
tions an  orator,  who  in  his  pleading  laid  hold  of  his  client, 
and  tore  open  his  clothes  to  show  the  judges  the  wounds  he 

* See  Longinus,  § xviii. 

2 See  Longinus,  §§  xviii,  xix,  xx,  xxi. 

3 Femur  ferire,  quod  Athenis  primus  fecisse  creditur  Cleon,  et 
usitatum  est,  et  indignatos  decet,  et  excitat  auditorem.  Idque  in 
Callidio  Cicero  desiderat.  Jfonfrons,  inquit^  pcrcussa?  non  femur  ? 
pedum  nulla  supplosiof — Quint.  Lib.  xi,  o.  3. 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


93 


had  received  in  the  service  of  the  republic.  This  was  a ve- 
hement kind  of  action  indeed ; but  such  as  is  reserved  for 
extraordinary  occasions  and  doth  not  fall  within  the  common 
rules  of  gesture.  1 think  it  is  not  natural  to  be  always  mov- 
ing one’s  arm  in  talking;  that  motion^  is  proper  enough 
when  the  orator  is  very  vehement,  but  he  ought  not  to  move 
his  arm  in  order  to  appear  vehement.  Nay,  there  are  many 
things  that  ought  to  be  pronounced  calmly,  and  without  any 
motion. 

JB,  Would  you  have  a preacher  for  ihstance,  use  no  ges- 
ture at  all  on  some  occasions?  That  would  look  very 
strange  indeed. 

A,  I know  that  most  people  lay  it  down  for  a rule,  (or  a 
custom  at  least,)  that  a preacher  should  be  always  in  motion, 
whatever  the  subject  be  that  he  treats  of  But  it  might  be 
easily  shown  that  our  [French]  preachers  usually  have  too 
much  gesture,  and  sometimes  too  little. 

jB.  I wish  you  would  state  this  matter  clearly.  For  I 
always  believed,  from  the  example  of  ***  that  there  are  not 
above  two  or  three  motions  of  the  hands  to  be  used  in  a 
whole  sermon. 

A.  Let  us,  then,  lay  down  some  principle  to  argue  upon. 
Now  of  what  use  is  the  action  of  the  body^  in  speaking?  Is 
it  not  to  express  the  sentiments  and  passions  of  the  mind  ? 

jB.  I think  so. 

A,  The  motion  of  the  body  then  should  help  to  paint  the 
thoughts  of  the  soul. 

jB.  Yes. 

A.  And  that  painting  ought  to  be  exact  and  faithful.3 


^ Brachii  moderata  projectio  remissis  hameris,  atque  explicantibus 
se  in  proferenda  manu  digitis,  continues  et  decurrentes  locos  maxime 
decet. — Ibid. 

2 Actio,  inquam,  in  dicendo  una  dominatur  ; sine  hac  summus  ora- 
tor esse  in  numero  nullo  potest ; mediocris,  hac  instructus  summos 
saepe  superare.  Huic  priinas  dedisse  Demosthenes  dicitur,  quum 
rogaretur  quid  in  dicendo  esset  primum;  huic  secundas;  huic  tertias. 
— De  Orat.  lib.  iii.  § 56.  Est  enim  actio  quasi  serrno  corporis  ; quo 
magis  menti  congruens  esse  debet — Atque  in  iis  omnibus  quae  sunt 
actionis,  inest  quaedam  vis  a natura  data  ; quare  etiam  hac  imperiti, 
hac  vulgus,  hac  denique  barbari  maxime  commoventur — iisdemenim 
omnium  animi  motibus  concitantur,  et  eos  iisdem  notis,  et  in  aliis 
agnoscunt  et  in  se  ipsi[s]  indicant. — Ibid.  § 59. 

3 Omnis  enim  motus  animi  suum  quendam  a natura  habet  vultum 
et  sonum  et  gestum;  totumque  corpus  hominis  et  ejus  omnis  vultus 


94  DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 

Every  look  and  motion  should  in  an  easy,  natural  manner 
represent  the  speaker’s  sentiments,  and  the  nature  of  the 
things  he  says ; but  so  as  to  avoid  all  mean  and  theatrical 
gestures. 

jB.  I think  I understand  your  nation  exactly.  Let  me  in- 
terrupt you  then  a little,  that  you  may  see  how  far  I enter 
into  the  consequences  that  flow  from  the  principle  you  laid 
down.  Youi  would  have  an  orator  use  such  a lively,  natural, 
becoming  action,  as  will  help  to  point  out  distinctly  what  his 
words  alone  could  express  only  in  a flat  and  languid  manner. 
So  that  you  reckon  his  very  action  a sort  of  painting.^ 

A,  Right.  But  we  must  farther  conclude,  that  to  paint 
well,  we  must  imitate  nature;  and  observe  what  she  does 
when  she  is  left  to  herself,  and  is  not  constrained  by  art. 

B.  That  is  plain. 

A.  Now,  doth  a man  naturally  use  many  gestures  when 
he  says  common  things,  without  vehemence  or  the  least  mix- 
ture of  any  sort  of  passion  ? 

B.  No. 

A.  On  such  common  subjects,  then,  we  ought  not  to  use 
any  action  in  public  discourses,  or  at  least  but  little ; for 


omnesque  voces,  ut  nervi  in  fidibus,  ita  sonant,  ul  a motu  animi  quo- 
qae  sunt  pulsae. — Cicero,  de  Orat.  Lib.  iii.  c.  57. 

^ Gestus  quantum  habeat  in  oratore  nomenti,  satis  vel  ex  eo  patet 
quod  pleraque  etiam  citra  verba  significat.  Quippe  non  manus  solum, 
sed  nutus  etiam  declarant  nostram  voluntatem,  et  in  mutis  pro  ser- 
mone  sunt — Contra  si  gestus  ac  vultus  ab  oratione  dissentiant,  tristia 
dicamus  hilares,  affirmemus  aliqua  renuentes,  non  auctoritas  modo 
verbis  sed  etiam  fides  desit. — Quint,  lib.  xi.  c.  3. 

® Our  preachers  stand  stock  still  in  the  pulpit,  and  will  not  so  much 
as  move  a finger  to  set  off  the  best  sermons  in  the  world.  Our  words 
flow  from  us  in  a smooth,  continued  stream,  without  those  strainings 
of  the  voice,  motions  of  the  body,  and  majesty  of  the  hand,  which 
are  so  much  celebrated  in  the  orators  of  Greece  and  Rome.  We  can 
talk  of  life  and  death  in  cold  blood,  and  keep  our  temper,  in  a dis- 
course which  turns  upon  everything  that  is  dear  to  us.  Though  our 
zeal  breaks  out  in  the  finest  tropes  and  figures,  it  is  not  able  to  stir 
a limb  about  us.  I have  heard  it  observed  more  than  once,  by  those 
who  have  seen  Italy,  that  an  untravelled  Englishman  cannot  relish 
all  the  beauties  of  Italian  pictures,  because  the  postures  which  are  ex- 
pressed in  them  are  often  such  as  are  peculiar  to  that  country.  One 
who  has  not  seen  an  Italian  in  the  pulpit,  will  not  know  what  to 
make  of  that  noble  gesture  in  Raphael’s  picture  of  St.  Paul  preach- 
ing at  Athens,  where  the  apostle  is  represented  as  lifting  up  both 
his  arms,  and  pouring  out  the  thunder  of  his  rhetoric,  amidst  an  au- 
dience of  pagan  philosophers. — Addison. 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


95 


there  we  ought  always  to  follow  nature;^  nay,  there  are  some 
occasions  where  an  orator  might  best  express  his  thoughts  by 
silence.  For  if,  being  full  of  some  great  sentiment,  he  con- 
tinued immoveable  for  a moment,  this  surprising  pause 
would  keep  the  minds  of  the  audience  in  suspense,  and  ex- 
press an  emotion  too  big  for  words  to  utter. 

B,  I doubt  not  but  such  unexpected  pauses  seasonably 
employed,  would  be  very  significant,  and  would  powerfully 
affect  the  hearers.  But,  Sir,  you  seem  to  think  that  one  who 
speaks  in  public,  ought  to  use  no  other  action  than  what  is 
proper  for  ordinary  conversation. 

A.  You  mistake  me.  Sir;  I think  the  sight  of  a great  as- 
sembly, and  the  importance  of  the  subject  an  orator  treats  of, 
ought  to  animate  him  far  more  than  if  he  were  talking  famili- 
arly with  his  friends.  But  both  in  private  and  in  public,  he 
ought  always  to  act  "naturally.  He  should  use  some  action 
when  his  words  are  moving ; but  when  his  expressions  are 
quite  calm  and  simple,  there  is  no  occasion  to  move  the  body, 
except  it  be  in  the  gentlest  manner.  Nothing  appears  more 
shocking  and  absurd,  than  to  see  a man  very  warm  and  active, 
when  he  is  saying  the  driest,  coldest  things.  Though  he 
sweats  himself,  he  chills  the  blood  of  his  audience.  Some- 
time ago,  I happened  to  fail  asleep  at  a sermon,  as  you  know 
one  is  apt  to  do  in  the  afternoon,  (and  indeed  in  former 
times,  they  preached  but  once  a-day  after  the  gospel  in  the 
morning  service,)  but  I soon  waked  and  found  the  preacher 
in  a very  violent  agitation,  so  that  I fancied,  at  first,  that  he 
was  pressing  some  important  point  of  morality — 

B.  What  was  the  matter  then? 

A.  He  was  only  giving  notice,  that  on  the  Sunday  follow- 
ing he  would  preach  upon  repentance.  I was  extremely  sur- 
prised to  hear  such  an  indifferent  thing  uttered  with  so  much 
vehemence,  and  must  have  laughed  out,  if  the  regard  I had 
for  the  place  and  some  other  circumstances  had  not  restrain- 
ed me.  The  pronunciation  of  these  declaimers  is  exactly 
like  their  gesture ; for,  as  their  voice  is  a perpetual  monoto- 
ny, so  there  is  a uniformity  in  their  gesture,  that  is  no  less 

' Uniim  jam  his  adjiciendum  est,  cum  praecipue  in  actione  specte- 
tur  decorum^  saepe  aliud  alios  decere.  Est  enim  latens  quaedam  in 
hoc  ratio  et  inenarrabilis ; et  ut  vere  hoc  dictum  est  caput  esse  artis, 
decere  quod  facias — Quare  norit  se  quisque,  nec  tantum  ex  communi- 
bus  praeceptis,  sed  etiam  ex  natura  sua  capiat  consilium  formandae 
actionis. — Quint,  lib.  xi.  c.  3. 


96 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOaUENCE. 


nauseous  and  unnatural,  and  equally  contrary  to  the  good 
effect  that  one  might  expect  from  decent  action. 

J5.  You  said  that  sometimes  they  have  not  action  enough. 

We  cannot  wonder  at  that.  For  they  do  not  discern 
the  things  that  require  warmth  and  earnestness.  They  waste 
their  spirits  in  saying  the  plainest  things,  and  so  are  forced 
to  utter  those  things  faintly,  which  ought  to  be  delivered  with 
a vehement  action.  I must  own  indeed  that  the  French  are 
not  very  capable  of  this  vehemence,  for  they  are  too  airy,  and 
do  not  conceive  things  with  sufficient  strength,  and  therefore 
do  not  speak  with  a proper  energy.  The  Romans  had  a 
wonderful  talent  this  way,  and  the  Greeks  a greater.  The 
eastern  nations  excelled  in  it,  and  particularly  the  Hebrews. 
Nothing  can  equal  the  strength  and  vivacity  of  the  figures 
they  employed  in  their  discourse,  and  the  very  actions  they 
used  to  express  their  sentiments ; such*  as  putting  ashes  on 
their  heads,  and  tearing  their  garments,  and  covering  them- 
selves with  sackcloth,  under  any  deep  distress  and  sorrow  of 
mind.  I do  not  speak  of  what  the  prophets  did  to  give  a 
more  lively  representation  of  the  things  they  foretold,  be- 
cause such  figurative  actions  were  the  effect  of  divine  inspira- 
tion. But  even  in  other  cases,  we  find  that  those  people 
understood  much  better  then  we  do,  how  to  express  their 
grief  and  fear  and  other  passions.  And  hence,  no  doubt, 
arose  those  surprising  effects  of  eloquence  which  we  never 
experience  now. 

B.  You  approve  then  of  many  different  gestures,  and  va- 
rious inflections  of  the  voice 

It  is  that  variety,  which  gives  so  much  grace  and  force 
to  the  action  of  an  orator,  and  made  Demosthenes  far  excel 
all  others.  The  more  easy  and  familiar  the  voice  and  action 
appear,  when  the  speaker  only  narrates,  explains  or  instructs, 
the  more  apt  he  will  be  to  surprise  and  move  the  audience 
in  those  parts  of  his  discourse,  where  he  grows  suddenly  ve- 
hement, and  enforces  lofty,  affecting  sentiments  by  a suitable 


1 In  omni  voce  est  quoddam  medium, ^sed  suum  cuique  voci.  Hinc 
gradatim  adscendere  vocem  utile  et  suave  est ; (nam  a principio 
clamare  agreste  quiddam  est  ;)  et  idem  illud  ad  formandam  est  vocem 
salutare.  Deinde  est  quoddam  contentionis  extremum — Est  item 
contra  quoddam  in  remissione  gravissimum,  quoque  tamquam  sono- 
rum  gradibus  descenditur.  Haec  varietas,  et  hie  per  omnes  sonos 
vocis  cursus,  et  se  tuebitur,  et  actioni  afFeret  suavitatem. — Cic.  dc. 
Oral.  lib.  iii.  § 61. 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE.  97 

energy  of  voice,  and  action.  This  due  pronunciation^  is  a 
kind  of  music,  whose  beauty  consists  in  the  variety  of  proper 
tones  and  inflections*of  the  voice,  which  ought  to  rise  or  fall 
with  a just  and  easy  cadence,  according  to  the  nature  of  the 
things  we  express.  It  gives  a light  as  well  as  a grace  to 
language,  and  is  the  very  life  and  spirit  of  discourse. 

B,  According  to  your  notions  of  elocution,  it  is  an  art  un- 
known to  our  greatest  orators.  The  preacher  that  you  and 
I heard,  about  a fortnight  ago,  did  not  observe  your  rule  nor 
even  seem  to  endeavor  it.  Except  the  first  thirty  words  of 
his  sermon,  he  spoke  always  in  the  same  tone,  and  the  only 
sign  I could  perceive  of  his  being  more  vehement  in  some 
parts  of  his  discourse  than  in  others,  was,  that  when  he  seem- 
ed earnest  he  spoke  faster  than  at  other  times. 

A,  To  me,  Sir,  his  voice  seemed  to  have  two  tones,  though 
they  were  well  adapted  to  his  words.  You  have  observed 
justly  enough  that  he  did  not  follow  the  rules  of  pronuncia- 
tion, and  I believe  he  did  not  perceive  the  need  of  them. 
His  voice  is  naturally  melodious,  and  though  it  be  ill  man- 
aged, it  is  however  pleasing  enough.  But  you  see  plainly 
that  it  does  not  make  those  strong,  affecting  impressions  on 
the  mind  that  it  would  produce,  if  it  had  such  various  inflec- 
tions as  are  proper  to  express  the  speaker’s  sentiments.  Such 
preachers  are  like  fine  clocks,  that  give  a clear,  full,  soft, 
agreeable  sound ; but  after  all  they  are  clocks  only,  of  no 
significancy,  and  having  no  variety  of  notes,  they  are  incapa- 
ble of  harmony  or  eloquence. 


' Ornata  est  pronuntiatio,  cni  sufFragatar  vox  facilis,  magna,  beata, 
flexibilis,  firma,  dulcis,  durabilis,  clara,  pura,  secans  aera,  auribus 
sedens.  Est  enim  quaedam  ad  auditum  accommodata,  non  magnitu- 
dine,  sed  proprietate,  ad  hoc  velut  tractabilis,  utique  habens  onines 
in  se  qui  desideraniur  sonos  intentionesque,  et  toto  ut  aiunt  organo 
instructa. — Illud  vero  maximum,  quod  secundum  rationem  rerum  de 
quibus  dicimus,  animorumque  habitus,  conformanda  vox  est,  ne  ab 
oratione  discordet.  Vitemus  igitur  illam  quae  Graece  fiovoTovta  voca- 
tur,  una  quaedam  spiritus  ac  soni  intentio  ; non  solum  ne  omnia  cla- 
mose,  quod  insanum  est ; aut  intra  loquendi  modum,  quod  motu  caret ; 
aut  summisso  murmure,  quo  etiam  debilitatur  omnis  intentio ; sed  ut 
in  iisdem  partibus,  iisdemque  afFectibus,  sint  tamen  quaedam  non  ita 
magnae  vocis  declinationes^  prout  aut  verborum  dignitas,  aut  senten- 
tiarum  natura,  aut  depositio,  aut  inceptio,  aut'transitus  postulabit;  ut 
qui  singulis  pinxerunt  coloribus,  alia  tamen  eminentiora,  alia  reduc- 
tiora  Fecerunt,  sine  quo  ne  membris  quidem  suas  lineas  dedissent. — 
Quint,  lib.  xi.  c.  3. 


9 


98 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


B.  But  were  there  not  many  graces  in  the  rapidity  of  his 
discourse?  . 

A,  Yes ; and  I grant  that  in  some  affecting,  lively  pas- 
sages, one  ought  to  speak  faster  than  usual.  But  it  is  a great 
fault  to  speak  with . so  much  precipitation  that  one  cannot 
stop  himself,  nor  be  distinctly  understood.  The  voice  and 
action  bear  some  resemblance  to  verse.  Sometimes  we  must 
use  such  a slow,  and  grave  measure  as  is  fit  to  describe  things 
of  that  character;  and  sometimes  a short,  impetuous  one,  to 
express  what  is  quick  and  ardent.  To  use  always  the  same 
degree  of  action,  and  the  same  tone  of  voice,  is  like  pre- 
scribing one  remedy  for  all  distempers.  But  we  ought  to  ex- 
cuse the  uniformity  of  that  preacher^s  voice  and  action.  For, 
besides  his  possessing  many  excellent  qualities,  the  fault  we 
complain  of  is  the  natural  effect  of  his  style.  We  have  al- 
ready agreed  that  the  modulation  of  the  voice  should  be  ex- 
actly suited  to  the  words.  Now  his  style  is  even  and  uni- 
form, without  the  least  variety.  On  the  one  hand,  it  is  not 
familiar,  insinuating  and  popular  ; and  on  the  other,  it  has 
nothing  in  it  that  is  lively,  figurative  and  sublime ; but  it 
consists  of  a constant  flow  of  words  that  press  one  after  the 
other,  containing  a close  and  well-connected  chain  of  rea- 
soning, on  clear  ideas.  In  a word,  he  is  a man  that  talks 
good  sense  very  correctly.  Nay,  we  must  acknowledge  that 
he  has  done  great  service  to  the  pulpit ; he  has  rescued  it 
from  the  servitude  of  vain  declaimers,  and  filled  it  himself 
with  much  strength  and  dignity.  He  is  very  capable  of  con- 
vincing people,  but  I know  few  preachers  who  persuade  and 
move  them  less  than  he  doth.  If  you  observe  carefully,  you 
will  even  find  that  his  way  of  preaching  is  not  very  instruc- 
tive, for,  besides  his  not  having  a familiar,  engaging,  pathetic 
manner  of  talking  (as  I observed  before),  his  discourse  does 
not  in  the  least  strike  the  imagination,^  but  is  addressed  to 

' The  senses  and  the  imagination  are  fruitful  and  inexhaustible 
sources  of  mistakes  and  delusion;  but  the  understanding  or  mind 
acting  by  itself,  is  not  so  subject  to  error;  we  cannot  always  speak 
so  as  to  affect  the  senses  and  imagination  of  others,  nor  ought  we  al- 
ways to  endeavor  it.  When  a subject  is  abstracted^  we  can  seldom 
render  it  sensible  (or  apt  to  strike  the  imagination),  without  making 
it  obscure  ; it  is  enough  if  it  be  made  intelligible.  Nothing  can  be 
more  unjust  than  the  usual  complaints  of  those,  who  would  know 
everything,  and  yet  will  not  apply  themselves  to  anything.  They 
take  it  amiss  when  we  require  their  attention,  and  expect  that  we 
should  always  strike  their  fancy,  and  continually  please  their  senses 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


99 


the  understanding  only.  It  is  a thread  of  reasoning  that  can- 
not be  comprehended  without  the  closest  attention.  And 
seeing  there  are  but  few  hearers  capable  of  such  a constant 
application  of  mind,  they  retain  little  or  nothing  of  his  dis- 
course. It  is  like  a torrent  that  hurries  along  at  once,  and 
leaves  its  channel  dry.  In  order  to  make  a lasting  impression 
on  people’s  minds,  we  must  support  their  attention,  by  moving 
their  passions,  for  dry  instructions  can  have  but  little  influence. 
But  the  thing  that  I reckon  least  natural  in  this  preacher,  is 
the  continual  motion  he  gives  his  arms,  while  there  is  nothing 
figurative^  nor  moving  in  his  words.  The  action  used  in 
ordinary  conversation,  would  suit  his  style  best,  or  his  impet- 
uous gesture  would  require  a style  full  of  sallies  and  vehe- 
mence, and  even  then  he  behoved  to  manage  his  warmth 
better,  and  render  it  less  uniform.  In  fine,  I think  he  is  a 
great  man,  but  not  an  orator.  A country  preacher,  who  can 
alarm  his  hearers,  and  draw  tears  from  them,  answers  the 
end  of  eloquence  better  than  he. 

B.  But  how  shall  we  know  the  particular  gestures,  and 
the  inflections  of  voice  that  are  agreeable  to  nature  ? 

A,  I told  you  before,  that  the  whole  art  of  good  orators 
consists  in  observing  what  nature  does  when  unconstrained. 
You  ought  not  to  imitate  those  haranguers  who  choose  al- 
ways to  declaim,  but  will  never  talk  to  their  hearers.  On 
the  contrary,  you  should  address  yourself  to  an  audience  in 
such  a modest,  respectful,  engaging  manner,  that  each  of 
them  shall  think  you  are  speaking  to  him  in  particular.  And 
this  is  the  use  and  advantage  of  natural,  familiar,  insinuating 
tones  of  voice.  They  ought  always  to  be  grave  and  becom- 
ing, and  even  strong  and  pathetic,  when  the  subject  requires 
it.  But  you  must  not  fancy,  that  you  can  express  the  pas- 
sions by  the  mere  strength  of  voice;  like  those  noisy  speak- 
ers, who  by  bawling  and  tossing  themselves  about,  stun  their 
hearers  instead  of  affecting  them.  3f  we  would  succeed  in 
painting,  and  raising  the  passions,  we  must  know  exactly 
what  movements  they  inspire.  For  instance,  observe  what 
is  the  posture,  and  what  the  voice  of  one,  whose  heart  is 
pierced  with  sorrow,  or  surprised  at  the  sight  of  an  astonish- 

and  their  passions.  But  it  is  not  in  our  power  to  gratify  them.  The 
authors  of  romances  and  comedies  are  obliged  thus  to  please  and 
amuse  them  ; but  as  for  us,  it  is  enough  if  we  can  instruct  those  who 
are  truljj  attentive. — P,  MalbranchP s Recherche  de  la  verite^  Liv,  iii. 
c.  i. 


100 


DIALOGtjES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


ing  object ; remark  the  natural  action  of  the  eyes ; what  the 
hands  do ; and  what  the  whole  body.  On  such  occasions  na- 
ture appears,  and  you  need  only  follow  it ; if  you  must  employ 
artji  conceal  it  so  well  under  an  exact  imitation,  that  it  may 
pass  for  nature  itself.  But  to  speak  the  truth,  orators  in  such 
cases  are  like  poets,  who  write  elegies  or  other  passionate 
verses ; they  must  feel  the  passion  they  describe,^  else  they 
can  never  paint  it  well.  The  greatest  art  imaginable  can 
never  speak  like  true  passion,^  and  undisguised  nature.  So 
that  you  will  always  be  but  an  imperfect  orator,  if  you  be 
not  thoroughly  moved  with  those  sentiments  that  you  paint, 
and  would  infuse  into  others.  Nor  do  I say  this  from  a pious 
motive ; I speak  now  only  as  an  orator.^ 

B.  The  case  I think  is  abundantly  plain  ; but  you  spoke 
to  us  of  the  eyes ; have  they  their  rhetoric  too  ? 

A,  Yes;  if  you  will  believe  Tully,^  and  other  ancient 


^ Tore  yap  y rexvy  reXeLog,  yv'iK'  av  eivai  dony  • y d’  av  ^vGLg 

emrvxyg^  orav  Xavid-dvovaa  irepLexy  Tyv  rexvyv. — Longinus^  § xxii. 

2 Ut  lidentibus  arrident,  ita  fientibus  adflent 
Humani  vultus.  Si  vis  me  flere,  dolendum  est 

Primum  ipsi  tibi 

male  si  mandata  loqueris, 

Aut  dormitabo,  aut  ridebo.  Tristia  moestum 
Vultum  verba  decent;  iratum  plena  rninarum. 

Format  enim  natura  prius  nos  intus  ad  omnem 
Fortunarum  habitum  ; juvat,  aut  impellit  ad  iram, 

Aut  ad  humum  moerore  gravi  deducit,  et  angit; 

Post  efFert  animi  motus  interprete  lingua. 

Hor.  de.  Ar.  Po. 

^ Qa/)f)C)v  yap  d^opLaatfjiyv  dv  d)g  ovdev  ovrcjg  0)g  rb  yevvalov  nrd'S'og 
ev'&a  xpi  fieyalyyopov  egti,  uanep  vno  juavtag  rtvbg,  nal  'Kvevparog  kv'&ov- 
GtaGTUioCjg  kiCTTveov,  nal  olovet  ^otjSd^ov  rovg  Tioyovg. — Longinus^  § viii. 

^ Neque  fieri  potest,  ut  doleat  is  qui  audit,  ut  oderit,  ut  invideat, 
ut  pertimescat  aliquid, — nisi  omnes  ii  motus  quos  orator  adhibere  volet 
judici,  in  ipso  oratore  impressi  esse,atque  inusti  videbuntur — Ut  enim 
nulla  materies  tarn  facilis  ad  exardescendum  est,  quae  nisi  admoto 
jgni  ignem  concipere  possit,  sic  nulla  mens  est  tarn  ad  comprehen- 
dendam  vim  oratoris  parata,  quae  possit  incendi,  nisi  inflammatus 
ipse  ad  earn  et  ardens  accesseris. — Cic.  de.  Oral.  lib.  ii.  § 45. 

® Sed  in  ore  sunt  omnia.  In  eo  autem  ipso  dominatiis  est  omnis 
oculorum — Animi  est  enim  omnis  actio;  et  imago  animi  vultus  est, 
indices  oculi.  Nam  haec  est  una  pais  corporis  quae,  quot  animi  mo- 
tus sunt,  tot  significationes  et  commutationes  possit  efficere — Oculi 
sunt  quorum  turn  intentione,  turn  remissione,  turn  conjectu,  turn 
hilaritate  motus  animorum  significemus  apte  cum  genere  ipso  ora- 
tionis;  est  enim  actio  quasi  senno  corporis,  quo  magis  menti  congru- 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


101 


orators.  Nothing  is  more  intelligible  than  the  aspect ; it  ex- 
presses every  passion  of  the  soul.  And  in  the  aspect,  the 
eyes  are  most  active  and  significant.  One  well-timed  look 
will  pierce  to  the  bottom  of  the  heart.i 

B.  The  preacher  we  were  speaking  of,  has  usually  his 
eyes  shut.  When  we  observe  him  near,  it  is  very  shocking.^ 

A.  It  is  disagreeable  because  we  perceive  that  he  wants 
one  of  the  chief  things  that  ought  to  enliven  his  discourse. 

B,  But  why  does  he  so? 

A.  He  makes  haste  to  pronounce  his  words,  and  shuts  his 
eyes,  because  it  helps  his  laboring  memory. 

jB.  I observed  indeed  that  it  was  very  much  burdened ; 
sometimes  he  repeated  several  words  to  find  out  the  thread 
of  his  discourse.  Such  repetitions  make  one  look  like  a 


ens  esse  debet. — Quare  in  hac  nostra  actione  secundum  vocem  vultus 
valet;  is  autem  oculis  gubernatur. — Cic,  de  Orat.  lib.  iii.  § 59. 

' Smiles  and  sadness  display  themselves  partly  at  the  mouth  ; the 
former  by  raising,  the  latter  by  depressing,  the  corners  of  it,  and  yet 
we  might  in  many  cases  mistake  a laughing  for  a weeping  counte- 
nance, if  we  did  not  see  the  eye.  Indeed  this  little  organ,  whether 
sparkling  with  joy,  or  melting  in  sorrow;  whether  gleaming  with  in- 
dignation, or  languishing  in  tenderness;  whether  glowing  with  the 
steady  light  of  deliberate  valor,  or  sending  forth  emanations  of  good 
will  and  gratitude,  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  objects  in  the  whole 
visible  universe.  • There  is  more  in  it  than  shape,  motion  and  color; 
there  is  thought  and  passion;  there  is  life  and  soul;  there  is  reason 
and  speech. — Beattie. 

^ But  the  face  is  the  epitome  of  the  whole  man,  and  the  eyes  are, 
as  it  were,  the  epitome  of  the  face.  No  part  of  the  body,  besides  the 
face,  is  capable  of  as  many  changes  as  there  are  different  emotions  in 
the  mind,  and  of  expressing  them  by  all  those  changes.  As  the 
countenance  admits  of  so  great  variety,  it  requires  also  great  judg- 
ment to  govern  it.  Not  that  the  form  of  the  face  is  to  be  shifted  on 
every  occasion,  lest  it  turn  to  farce  and  buffoonery;  but  it  is  certain 
that  the  eyes  have  a wonderful  power  of  marking  the  emotions  of  the 
mind  : sometimes  by  a steadfast  Took,  sometimes  by  a careless  one — 
now  by  a sudden  regard,  then  by  a joyful  sparkling,  as  the  sense  of 
the  word  is  diversified ; for  action  is,  as  it  were,  the  speech  of  the 
features  and  limbs,  and  must  therefore  conform  itself  always  to  the 
sentiments  of  the  soul.  And  it  may  be  observed  that  in  all  which  re- 
lates to  the  gesture,  there  is  a wonderful  force  implanted  by  nature  ; 
since  the  vulgar,  the  unskilful,  and  even  the  most  barbarous,  are 
chiefly  affected  by  this.  None  are  moved  by  the  sound  of  words  but 
those  who  understand  the  language,  and  the  sense  of  many  things  is 
lost  upon  men  of  a dull  apprehension;  but  action  is  a kind  of  univer- 
sal tongue  ; all  men  are  subject  to  the  same  passions,  and  consequent- 
ly know  the  same  marks  of  them  in  others,  by  which  they  themselves 
express  them. — Spectator. 

9* 


102  DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 

careless  school  boy  that  has  forgotten  his  lesson.  They  are 
very  disagreeable,  and  would  not  be  easily  excused  in  a 
preacher  of  less  note. 

A,  It  is  not  so  much  the  preacher’s  fault  as  the  defect  of 
the  method  he  follows  after  many  others.  So  long  as  men 
preach  by  heart,  and  often,  they  will  be  apt  to  fall  into  this 
perplexity. 

JB.  How  do  you  mean  ? Would  you  have  us  not  preach 
by  heart?  Without  doing  so,  one  could  not  make  an  exact, 
pithy  discourse. 

A.  I am  not  against  a preacher’s  getting  some  particular 
sermons  by  heart.  They  may  always  have  time  enough  to 
prepare  themselves  for  extraordinary  occasions.  And  they 
might  even  acquit  themselves  handsomely  without  such  great 
preparation. 

jB.  How  ? This  seems  incredible. 

A.  If  I be  mistaken,  I shall  readily  own  it.  Let  us  only 
examine  the  point  without  prepossession.  What  is  the  chief 
aim  of  an  orator  ? Is  it  not  to  persuade?  And  in  order  to 
this,  ought  he  not  to  affect  his  hearers,  by  moving  their  pas- 
sions ? 

jB,  I grant  it. 

A.  The  most  lively  and  moving  way  of  preaching  is  there- 
fore the  best. 

J3.  True;  what  do  you  conclude  from  that? 

A,  Which  of  two  orators  will  have  the  most  powerful  and 
affecting  manner  ; he  who  learns  his  discourse  by  heart,  or 
he  who  speaks  without  reciting  word  for  word  what  he  had 
studied  ? 

jB.  He,  I think,  who  has  got  his  discourse  by  heart. 

A.  Have  patience ; and  let  us  state  the  question  right. 
On  the  one  hand,  I suppose  a man  prepares  his  discourse 
exactly,  and  learns  it  by  heart  fo  the  least  syllable.  On  the 
other,  I suppose  another  person,  who  fills  his  mind  with  the 
subject  he  is  to  talk  of;  who  speaks  with  great  ease,  (for  you 
would  not  have  any  bodyi  attempt  to  speak  in  public,  with- 
out having  proper  talents  for  it;)  in  short,  a man  who  has 
attentively  considered  all  the  principles,  and  parts  of  the  sub- 
ject he  is  to  handle,  and  has  a comprehensive  view  of  them 
in  all  their  extent;  who  has  reduced  his  thoughts  into  a prop- 


1 E^o  nec  studiurn  sine  divite  vena, 

rude  quid  possit  video  ingenium Hor.  de.  A.  P. 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


103 


er  method,  and  prepared  the  strongest  expressions  to  explain 
and  enforce  them  in  a sensible  manner ; who  ranges  all  his 
arguments,  and  has  a sufficient  number  of  affecting  figures ; 
such  a man  certainly  knows  everything  that  he  ought  to  say, 
and  the  order  in  which  the  whole  should  be  placed  to  suc- 
ceed therefore  in  his  delivery,  he  wants  nothing  but  those 
common  expressions  that  must  make  the  bulk  of  his  dis- 
course. But  do  you  believe  now  that  such  a person  would 
have  any  difficulty  in  finding  easy,  familiar  expressions? 

jB.  He  could  not  find  such  just  and  handsome  ones  as  he 
might  have  hit  on,  if  he  had  sought  them  leisurely  in  his 
closet. 

A,  I own  that.  But  according  to  you,  he  would  lose  only 
■ a few  ornaments,  and  you  know  how  to  rate  that  loss,  accord- 
ing to  the  principles  we  laid  down  before.  On  the  other  side, 
what  advantage  must  he  not  have  in  the  freedom  and  force  of 
his  action,  which  is  the  main  thing.  Supposing  that  he  has 
applied  himself  much  to  composing,  (as  Cicero  requires  of 
an  orator,^)  that  he  has  read  all  the  best  models,  and  has  a 
natural  or  acquired  easiness  of  style  and  speech,  that  he  has 
abundance  of  solid  knowledge  and  learning,  that  he  under- 
stands his  subject  perfectly  well,  and  has  ranged  all  the  parts 


^ He,  then,  that  would  prepare  himself  to  be  a preacher  in  this 
method,  must  accustom  himself  to  talk  freely  to  himself,  to  let  his 
thoughts  flow  from  him,  especially  when  he  feels  an  edge  and  heat 
upon  his  mind ; for  then  happy  expressions  will  come  in  his  mouth — 
he  must  also  be  writing  essays  upon  all  sorts  of  subjects  ; for  by 
writing  he  will  bring  himself  to  a correctness  both  in  thinking  and  in 
speaking ; and  thus  by  a hard  practice  for  two  or  three  years,  a man 
may  render  himself  such  a master  in  this  way,  that  he  can  never  be 
surprised,  nor  will  new  thoughts  ever  dry  upon  him.  He  must  talk 
over  himself  the  whole  hodij  of  divinity,  and  accustom  himself  to  ex- 
plain and  prove,  to  clear  objections,  and  apply  every  part  of  it  to  some 
'practical  use — and  if  in  these  his  meditations,  happy  thoughts  and  no- 
ble, tender  expressions,  do  at  any  time  offer  themselves,  he  must  not 
lose  them,  but  write  them  down — by  a very  few  years’  practice  of 
two  or  three  such  soliloquies  a day,  chiefly  in  the  morning,  when  the 
head  is  clearest,  and  the  spirits  are  liveliest,  a man  will  contract  a 
great  easiness  both  in  thinking  and  speaking. — Bp.  Burnet's  Disc,  on 
the  pastoral  care.,  p.  210,  211.  * 

2 Caput  autem  est,  quod  (ut  vere  dicam)  minime  facimus,  est  enim 
magni  laboris  quern  plerique  fngimus,  quam  plurimum  scribere.  Sti- 
lus optimus,  et  praestantissimus  dicendi  effector,  ac  magister;  neque 
injuria  ; narn  si  subitam  etfortuitam  orationem,  commentatio,  et  cog- 
itatio  facile  vincit;  hanc  ipsam  profecto  assidua  ac  diligens  scriptura 
superabit. — De  Oral.  Lib.  i.  § 33. 


104 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


and  proofs  of  it  in  his  head  ; in  such  a case  we  must  con- 
clude that  he  will  speak  with  force  and  order  and  readiness.^ 
His  periods  perhaps  will  not  soothe  the  ear  so  much  as  the 
others,  and  for  that  reason  he  must  be  the  better  orator.  His 
transitions  may  not  be  so  fine ; it  is  no  great  matter  ; though 
these  he  might  have  prepared  without  getting  them  by  heart ; 
besides,  these  little  omissions  were  common  to  the  most  elo- 
quent orators  among  the  ancients.  They  thought  such  neg- 
ligence was  very  natural,  and  ought  to  be  imitated,  to  avoid 
the  appearance  of  too  great  preparation.  What  then  could 
our  orator  want  ? He  might  make  some  repetition,  but  that 
too  must  have  its  use.  Not  only  will  the  judicious  hearer 
take  a pleasure  in  observing  nature  here,  which  leads  one  of- 
ten to  resume  whatever  view  of  the  subject  strikes  strongest 
upon  the  mind ; but  likewise  this  repetition  imprints  the 
truth  more  deeply,  which  is  the  best  manner  of  instruction. 
At  the  worst,  one  might  find  in  his  discourse  some  inaccura- 
cy of  construction,  some  obsolete  word  that  has  been  cen- 
sured by  the  academy,  something  that  is  irregular  ; or,  if  you 
will,  some  weak  or  misapplied  expression,  that  he  may  hap- 
pen to  drop  in  the  warmth  of  action.  But  surely  they  must 
have  narrow  souls,  who  can  think  such  little  escapes  worth 
any  one’s  notice.  There  is  abundance  of  these  to  be  met 
with  in  the  most  excellent  originals.^  The  greatest  orators 
among  the  ancients  neglected  them,  and  if  our  views  were 
as  noble  as  theirs,  we  should  not  so  much  regard  those  tri- 
fles,3  which  can  amuse  none  but  such  as  are  not  able  to  dis- 
cern and  pursue  what  is  truly  great.  Excuse  my  freedom. 
Sir ; if  I did  not  think  you  had  a genius  very  different  from 
these  little,  cavilling  critics  I condemn,  I should  speak  of 
them  with  greater  caution. 

^ cui  lecta  potenter  erit  res, 

INec  facundia  deserethunc,  nec  lucidusordo. 

Verbaque  provisarn  rem  non  invita  sequentur. 

Hor.  de  Art.  Poet. 

^ Hapare'd-eLiihog  c?  ova  oXiya  Kal  avrbg  dfiapTr/jiaTa,  koX  Ofiripov,  Kal 
tC)v  akXtdv  baoL  fieyiaTot,  nal  rjKLara  rolg  TTraiaiiaaLV  apeoxopevog,  bptjg 
Se  ovx  aiiapTripawa  [laXkov  avrd  knovuLa  KaTibbv,  ^ Trapopapara  61  ape- 
Xetav,  eUr/  ttov  Kal  dg  ervxev  bno  peya7iavo(pvtag  uveTnarurog  Trapevyvey- 
pha. — Longinus,  § xxxiii. 

3 Sunt  delicta  tamen,  quibiis  ignovisse  velimus ; 

Nam  neque  chorda  sonum  reddit,  quern  vult  manus  et  mens, 
Foscentique  gravem  persaepe  remittit  aculum  ; 

Nec  semper  feriet  quodcunque  minabitur  arcus. 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


105 


B.  You  may  always  speak  your  mind,  Sir,  without  any 
reserve  on  my  account.  Be  pleased  therefore  to  go  on  with 
your  comparison. 

A.  Consider  then,  in  the  next  place,  the  advantages  that  a 

preacher  must  have  who  does  not  get  his  sermon  by  heart. 
He  is  entirely  master  of  himself ; he  speaks  in  an  easy,  un- 
affected .way,  and  not  like  a formal  declaimer.  Things  flow 
then  from  their  proper  source.  If  he  has  a natural  talent  for 
eloquence,  his  language  must  be  lively  and  moving ; even 
the  warmth  that  animates  him,i  must  lead  him  to  such  per- 
tinent expressions  and  figures,  as  he  could  not  have  found 
out  by  study.  ^ 

B.  Why  ? Surely  a man  may  enliven  his  fancy,  and  com- 
pose very  sprightly  discourses  in  his  closet. 

A.  I own  that ; but  a just  elocution  and  gesture  must  still 
give  them  a greater  life  and  spirit.  Besides  what  one  says 
in  the  ardor  of  action  is  far  more  natural  and  affecting;  it 
has  a negligent  air  ; and  discovers  none  of  that  art,  which  is 
visible  in  all  elaborate  composures.  We  may  add  farther, 
that  a skilful,  experienced  orator  adapts  things  to  the  capaci- 
ty of  his  hearers,^  and  varies  his  discourse,  according  to  the 


Verum  ubi  plura  nitent  in  carmine,  non  ego  paucis 
OfFendar  maculis,  quas  aut  incuria  fudit, 

Aut  Humana  parum  cayit  natura. 

Hor.  da  Art.  Poet. 

^ But  the  rule  I have  observed  last,  is  the  most  necessary  of  all ; 
and  without  it  all  the  rest  will  never  do  the  business  : it  is  this  ; that 
a man  must  have  in  himself  a deep  sense  of  the  truth  and  power  of 
religion;  he  must  have  a life  and  flame  in  his  thoughts  with  relation 
to  these  subjects  ; he  must  have  felt  himself  those  things  which  he 
intends  to  explain  and  recommend  to  others.  He  must  observe  nar- 
rowly the  motions  of  his  own  mind; — that  so  he  may  have  a lively 
heat  in  himself  when  he  speaks  of  them  ; and  that  he  may  speak  in  so 
sensible  a manner,  that  it  may  be  almost  felt  that  he  speaks  from  his 
heart.  There  is  an  authority  in  the  simplest  things  that  can  be  said, 
when  they  carry  visible  characters  of  genuineness  in  them.  Now  if 
a man  can  carry  on  this  method,  and  by  much  meditation  and  prayer 
draw  down  divine  influences,  which  are  always  to  be  expected  when 
a man  puts  himself  in  the  way  of  them,  and  prepares  himself  for  them  ; 
he  will  always  feel  that  while  he  is  musing.^  a fire  is  kindled  within 
him  ; and  then  he  will  speak  with  authority,  and  without  constraint ; 
his  thoughts  will  be  true,  and  his  expressions  free  and  easy. — Dis- 
course of  the  Pastoral  Care,  'p.  Ill,  112. 

2 Erit  igitur  haec  facultas  in  eo  quern  volumus  esse  eloquentem,  ut 
definire  rem  possit;  neque  id  faciat  tarn  presse  etanguste,  quam  inil- 
lis  eruditissimis  disputationibus  fieri  solet,  sed  cum  explanatius,  turn 


106  DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 

impression  he  sees  it  makes  upon  their  minds.  For,  he  easily 
perceives  whether  they  understand  him,  or  not, — and  whether 
he  gains  their  attention  and  moves  their  hearts ; and  if  it  be 
needful,  he  resumes  the  same  things  in  a different  manner, 
and  sets  them  in  another  light ; he  clothes  them  in  more  fa- 
miliar images,  and  comparisons ; or  he  goes  back  to  the 
plainest  principles,  from  which  he  gradually  deduces  the 
truths  he  would  enforce ; or  he  endeavors  to  cure  those  pas- 
sions, that  hinder  the  truth  from  making  a due  impression. 
This  is  the  true  art  of  instruction  and  persuasion ; and  with- 
out this  address  and  presence  of  mind,  we  can  only  make 
roving  and  fruitless  declam atioits.  Observe  now  how  far  the 
orator,  who  gets  everything  by  heart,  falls  short  of  the  oth- 
er’s success.  If  we  suppose  then  a man  to  preach,  who  de- 
pends entirely  on  his  memory,  and  dares  not  pronounce  a 
word  different  from  his  lesson ; his  style  will  be  very  exact, 
but,  as  Dionysius  Halicarnassus  observes  of  Isocrates,  his 
composition* must  please  more  when  it  is  read,  than  when  it 
is  pronounced.  Besides,  let  him  take  what  pains  he  will, 
the  inflections  of  his  voice  will  be  too  uniform,* and  always 
a little  constrained.  He  is  not  like  a man  that  speaks  to 
an  audience,  but  like  a rhetorician,  who  recites  or  declaims. 
His  action  must  be  awkward  and  forced ; by  fixing  his 
eyes  too  much,  he  shows  how  much  his  memory  labors  in 
his  delivery,  and  he  is  afraid  to  give  way  to  an  unusual 
emotion,  lest  he  should  lose  the  thread  of  his  discourse. 
Now  the  hearer  perceiving  such  an  undisguised  art,  is  so 
far  from  being  touched  and  captivated,  as  he  ought  to  be, 
that  he  observes  the  speaker’s  artifice  with  coldness  and 
neglect. 

B,  But  did  not  the  ancient  orators  do  what  you  con- 
demn ? 

A.  I believe  not. 

B.  What ! do  you  think  that  Demosthenes  and  Tully 
did  not  learn  by  heart  those  finished  orations  they  have  left 
us  ? 

A,  We  know  very  well  that  they  composed  and  wrote 
their  harangues,  before  they  spoke  in  public ; but  we  have 
several  reasons  to  believe  that  they  did  not  get  them  by  heart, 
word  for  word.  Even  the  orations  of  Demosthenes,  as  we 


etiam  uberius,  et  ad  commune  judicium,  popularemque  intelligentiam 
accommodatius. — Cic.  Oral.  § 33. 


rrlALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


107 


have  them  show  rather  the  sublimity  and  vehemence  of  a 
great  genius  that  was  accustomed  to  speak  powerfully  of  pub- 
lic affairs,  than  the  accuracy  and  politeness  of  an  author. 
As  for  Cicero,  in  several  places  of  his  harangues,  we  find 
things  spoken  on  sudden  emergences,  that  he  could  not  pos- 
sibly have  foreseen.  And  if  we  take  his  opinion  of  this  mat- 
ter,! he  thinks  an  orator  ought  to  have  a great  memory,  and 
he  even  speaks  of  an  artificial  kind  of  memory  as  a useful  in« 
vention ; but  all  he  says  on  this  point  does  not  imply  that  we 
ought  to  learn  every  word  by  heart.  On  the  contrary,  he 
seems  only  to  require,  that  we  should  range  all  the  parts  of  a 
discourse  exactly  in  our  memory,  and  prepare  the  figures  and 
chief  expressions  we  are  to  use,  so  as  to  be  ready  to  add,  off- 
hand, whatever  may  occasionally  be  suggested  from  a view  of 
the  audience,  or  unexpected  accidents.  And  it  is  for  this 
reason,  that  he  requires  so  much  application  and  presence  of 
mind  in  an  orator. 

B.  You  must  allow  me  to  tell  you.  Sir,  that  all  this  does 
not  convince  me ; for  I cannot  believe  that  one  can  speak  so 
very  well,  without  having  prepared  and  adjusted  all  his  ex- 
pressions. 

C.  The  reason  why  it  is  so  hard  to  persuade  you  in  this 
case,  is,  because  you  judge  of  the  matter  by  common  experi- 
ence. If  they,  who  get  their  sermons  by  heart,  were  to 
preach  without  that  preparation,  it  is  likely  they  would  suc- 
ceed but  very  ill ; nor  am  I surprised  at  it,  for  they  are  not 
accustomed  to  follow  nature,  they  have  studied  only  to  com- 
pose their  sermons,  and  that  too  with  affectation.  They 
have  never  once  thought  of  speaking  in  a noble,  strong  and 
natural  manner.^  Indeed,  the  greatest  part  of  preachers  have 


' Sed  verborum  memoria,  quae  minus  est  nobis  necessaria,  majore 
imaginum  varietate  distinguilur ; multa  enim  sunt  verba,  quae,  quasi 
articuli,  connectunt  membra  oratonis,  quae  formari  similitudine  nulla 
possunt;  eorum  fingendae  nobis  sunt  imagines,  quibus  semper  uta- 
mur.  Rerum  memoria  propia  est  oratoris  ) earn  singulis  personis  be- 
ne positis  notare  possumus,  ut  sententias  imaginibus,  ordinem  locis 
comprehendamus. — De  Oral,  lib,  ii.  § 88. 

2 This  leads  me  to  consider  the  difference  that  is  between  the  read- 
ing, and  the  speaking  of  sermons.  Reading  is  peculiar  to  this  na- 
tion, and  is  endured  in  no  other.  It  has  indeed  made  our  sermons 
more  exact,  and  so  has  produced  to  us  many  volumes  of  the  best  that 
are  extant.  But  after  .all,  though  some  few  read  so  happily,  pro- 
nounce so  truly,  and  enter  so  entirely  into  those  affections  which 
they  recommend,  that  in  them  we  see  both  the  correctness  of  read- 
ing, and  the  seriousness  of  speaking  sermons,  yet  every  one  is  not  so 


108 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


not  a sufficient  fund  of  solid  knowledge  to  depend  on,  and 
are  therefore  afraid  to  trust  themselves  without  the  usual  pre- 
paration. The  method  of  getting  sermons  by  heart,  qualifies 
many  who  have  but  very  scanty  and  superficial  parts,  to  make 
a tolerable  figure  in  the  pulpit ; seeing  they  need  only  lay  to- 
gether a certain  number  of  passages  and  remarks,  and  how- 
ever little  genius  or  assistance  a man  has,  he  may,  with  time 
and  application,  be  able  to  work  up  and  polish  his  matter  in- 
to some  form.  But  to  preach  with  judgment  and  strength, 
requires  an  attentive  meditation  upon  the  first  principles  of 
religion,  an  exact  knowledge  of  morality,  an  insight  into  an- 
tiquity, strength  of  reasoning,  and  suitable  action.  Is  not 
this.  Sir,  what  you  require  in  an  orator,  who  does  not  learn 
his  discourse  by  heart  P 


happy.  Some  by  hanging  their  head  perpetually  over  their  notes,  by 
blundering  as  they  read,  and  by  a cursory  running  over  them,  dp  so 
lessen  the  matter  of  their  sermons,  that  as  they  are  generally  read 
with  very  little  life  or  affection,  so  they  are  heard  with  as  little  re- 
gard or  esteem.  Those  who  read,  ought  certainly  to  be  at  a little 
more  pains  than,  for  the  most  part,  they  are,  to  read  true,  to  pro- 
nounce with  an  emphasis,  to  raise  their  head,  and  to  direct  their  eyes 
to  their  hearers  ; and  if  they  practised  more,  alone,  the  just  way  of 
reading,  they  might  deliver  their  sermons  with  much  more  advan- 
tage. Man  is  a low  sort  of  creature  ; he  does  not,  nay,  the  greater 
part,  cannot  consider  things  in  themselves,  without  those  little  sea- 
sonings that  must  recommend  them  to- their  affections. — Besides,  the 
people,  who  are  too  apt  to  censure  the  clergy,  are  always  carried  into 
an  obvious  reflection  on  reading,  that  it  is  an  effect  of  laziness. — Dis- 
course of  the  Pastoral  care^  ch.  ix. 

^ It  may  be  proper  to  present  the  reader,  in  one  view,  the  opinion  of 
several  other  distinguished  authors,  on  the  use  of  written  discourses 
in  the  pulpit.  “ I know  a clergyman  of  some  distinction,  who  appear- 
ed to  deliver  his  sermon  without  looking  into  his  notes,  which,  when 
1 complimented  him  upon,  he  assured  me  he  could  not  repeat  six  lines ; 
but  his  method  was  to  v/rite  the  whole  sermon  in  a large,  plain  hand,, 
with  all  the  forms  of  margin,  paragraph,  marked  page,  and  the  like  ; 
then  on  Sunday  morning  he  took  care  to  run  it  over  five  or  six  times, 
which  he  could  do  in  an  hour  ; and  when  he  delivered  it  by  pretend- 
ing to  turn  his  face  from  one  side  to  the  other,  he  would  (in  his  own 
expression)  pick  up  the  lines,  and  cheat  his  people  by  making  them 
believe  he  had  it  all  by  heart.  He  farther  added,  that  whenever  he 
happened  by  neglect  to  omit  any  of  these  circumstances,  the  vogue 
of  the  parish  was,  ‘our  doctor  gave  us  but  an  indifferent  sermon  to- 
day.’ Now  among  us,  many  clergymen  act  so  directly  contrary  to 
this  method,  that  from  a habit  of  saving  time  and  paper,  which  they 
acquired  at  the  university,  they  write  in  so  diminutive  a manner,  with 
such  frequent  blots  and  interlineations,  that  they  are  hardly  able  to 
go  on  without  perpetual  hesitations,  or  extemporary  expletives;  and 


DIALOGUES  COiVCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


109 


A.  You  have  explained  my  thoughts  exactly.  Only  it 
may  not  be  improper  to  add,  that  though  a man  should  not 


1 desire  to  know  what  can  be  more  inexcusable,  than  to  see  a divine 
and  a scholar  at  a loss  in  reading  his  own  compositions,  which  it  is 
supposed  he  has  been  preparing  with  much  pains  and  thought,  for 
the  instruction  of  his  people  f The  want  of  a little  more  care  in  this; 
article,  is  the  cause  of  much  ungraceful  behaviour.  You  will  observe 
some  clergymen  with  their  heads  held  down  from  the  beginning  to 
the  end,  within  an  inch  of  the  cushion,  to  read  what  is  hardly  legi- 
ble ; which,  beside  the  untoward  manner,  hinders  them  from  making 
the  best  advantage  of  their  voice ; others  again  have  a trick  of  pop- 
ping up  and  down  every  moment  from  their  paper  to  the  audience, 
like  an  idle  school- boy  on  a repetition  day. 

“ Let  me  entreat  you  therefore  to  add  one  half  crown  a year  to  the 
article  of  paper;  to  transcribe  your  sermons  in  as  large  and  plain  a 
manner  as  you  can  ; and  either  make  no  interlineations,  or  change 
the  whole  leaf;  for  we,  your  hearers,  would  rather  you  should  be  less 
correct,  than  perpetually  stammering,  which  1 take  to  be  one  of  the 
worst  solecisms  in  rhetoric.  And  lastly,  read  your  sermon  once  or 
twice  a day  for  a few  days  before  you  preach  it;  to  which  you  will 
probably  answer  some  years  hence,  ‘ that  it  was  but  just  finished  when- 
the  last  bell  rang  to  church,’  and  I shall  readily  believe,  but  not  ex- 
cuse you.” — Swat’s  Letter  to  a Young  Clergyman, 

That  a discourse  well  spoken  hath  a stronger  effect  than  one  well 
read,  will  hardly  bear  a question.  From  this  manifest  truth  1 very 
early  concluded,  and  was  long  of  the  opinion,  that  the  way  of  reading 
sermons  should  be  absolutely  banished  from  the  pulpit.  But  from 
farther  experience,  I am  now  disposed  to  suspect,  that  this  conclu- 
sion was  rather  hasty.  As  to  my  personal  experience  I shall  frankly 
tell  you  what  I know  to  be  a fact.  1 have  tried  both  ways ; I contin- 
ued long  in  the  practice  of  repeating,  and  was  even  thought  (if  peo- 
ple did  not  very  much  deceive  me)  to  succeed  in  it;  but  I am  abso- 
lutely certain,  that  I can  give  more  energy,  and  preserve  the  atten- 
tion of  the  hearers  better,  to  what  I read,  than  ever  it  was  in  my  pow- 
er to  do  to  what  I repeated.  Nor  is  it  any  wonder.  There  are  difficul- 
ties to  be  surmounted  in  the  latter  case,  which  have  no  place  at  all  in 
the  former.  The  talents  in  other  respects  are  the  same,  that  fit  one 
to  excel  in  either  way.  Now  as  it  will,  I believe,  be  admitted  by  ev- 
erybody who  reflects,  that  a discourse  well  read  is  much  better  than 
one  ill  spoken,  1 should  not  think  it  prudent  to  establish  any  general; 
rule,  which  would  probably  make  bad  speakers  of  many,  who  might 
otherwise  have  proved  good  readers.  There  is  something  in  charg- 
ing one’s  memory  with  a long  chain  of  words  and  syllables,  and  this 
is  one  of  the  difficulties  I hinted  at,  and  then  running  on,  as  it  were, 
mechanically  in  the  same  train,  the  preceding  word  associating  and 
drawing  in  the  subsequent,  that  seems  by  taking  off  a man’s  atten- 
tion from  the  thought  to  the  expression,  to  render  him  insusceptible 
of  the  delicate  sensibility  as  to  the  thought,  which  is  the  true  spring 
of  rhetorical  pronunciation.  That  this  is  not  invariably  the  effect  of 
getting  by  heart,  the  success  of  some  actors  on  the  stage  is  an  unde- 
niable proof.  But  the  comparative  facility,  arising  from  the  much 


110 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


possess  all  these  qualities  in  a remarkable  degree,  he  may 
yet  preach  very  well,  if  he  has  a solid  judgment,  a tolerable 


greater  brevity  of  their  speeches,  and  from  the  relief  and  emotion 
that  is  given  to  the  player  by  the  action  of  the  other  dialogists  in  the 
scene,  makes  the  greatest  difference  imaginable  in  the  two  cases.  A 
man  through  habit,  becomes  so  perfectly  master  of  a speech  of  thirty 
or  forty  lines,  which  will  not  take  him  three  minutes  to  repeat,  that 
he  hath  no  anxiety  about  recollecting  the  words  ; his  whole  attention 
is  to  the  sentiment.  The  case  must  be  very  different,  v/hen  the  me- 
mory is  charged  with  a discourse  which  will  take  thirty  minutes  to 
deliver. 

“ Now  when  once  the  attention,  as  was  hinted  already,  loses  hold 
of  the  thought,  and  is  wholly  occupied  in  tracing  the  series  of  the 
words,  the  speaker  insensibly,  to  relieve  himself  from  the  difficulty 
of  keeping  up  his  voice  at  the  same  stretch,  falls  into  a kind  of  tune, 
which,  without  any  regard  to  the  sense  of  what  is  said,  returns  as  re- 
gularly, as  if  it  were  played  on  an  instrument.  One  thing  further 
may  be  urged  in  favor  of  reading,  and  it  is  of  some  consequence,  that 
it  always  requires  some  preparation.  A discourse  must  be  written 
before  it  can  be  read.  When  a man  who  does  not  read,  gets  over, 
through  custom,  all  apprehension  about  the  opinion  of  his  hearers,  or 
respect  for  their  judgment,  there  is  some  danger,  that  laziness  may 
prompt  him  to  speak  without  any  preparation,  and  consequently  to 
become  careless  what  he  says.  But  to  return,  the  sum  of  what  has 
been  offered,  is  not  that  reading  a discourse  is  universally  preferable 
to  repeating  it.  By  no  means.  But  only  that  if  the  latter  way  ad- 
mits of  higher  excellence,  the  former  is  more  attainable  and  less  haz- 
ardous.”— CampbelVs  Lectures  on  Pulpit  Eloquence. 

“ And  here  it  may  not,  perhaps,  be  improper  to  make  a few  re- 
marks on  the  expediency  of  pronouncing  sermons  from  memory  ; and 
1 make  them  the  more  willingly,  because  what  I have  to  say  on  this 
head,  may  be  comfortable  to  those  young  men,  whose  memory  like 
my  own,  inclines  rather  to  weakness,  than  to  strength. 

First,  then,  it  can  admit  of  no  doubt,  that  every  public  speaker 
and  teacher  ought  to  be  able  to  speak  from  memory,  or  even  without 
premeditation,  as  the  circumstances  may  require  ; and  should,  there- 
fore, now  and  then  practise  extemporary  speaking,  and  study  to  ac- 
quire a readiness  of  apprehension  and  a command  of  words,  and  take 
every  prudent  method  he  can  think  of  for  improving  remem- 
brance. 

“ Secondly,  They  whose  faculties  are  uncommonly  susceptible, 
who  can  retain  a sermon  after  once  or  twice  reading  it,  or  who  like 
the  gentleman  above-mentioned,  can  commit  one  to  memory  in 
two  or  three  hours,  may,  at  all  times,  or  as  often  as  they  choose, 
preach  without  notes  ; especially,  if  they  have  confidence  in  their  re- 
collection, and  can  divest  themselves  of  anxiety.  But  many  men 
there  are,  of  good  parts,  who,  from  natural  bashfulness,  or  from  bodi- 
ly weakness,  or  from  having  been  in  danger  of  exposing  themselves 
through  a sudden  failure  of  memory,  cannot  depend  on  their  pres- 
ence of  mind,  or  quickness  of  recollection,  when  they  appear  in  pub- 
lic ; though  in  the  ordinary  affairs  of  life,  they  have  no  reason  to  com- 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


Ill 


stock  of  knowledge,  and  an  easy  way  of  speaking.  For,  in 
this  method,  as  in  the  other,  there  may  be  different  degrees 


plain  of  this  faculty.  Such  persons  ought  not  to  preach  without  pa- 
pers. If  they  do,  it  will  be  injurious  both  to  themselves,  and  to  their 
hearers.  To  themselves,  by  tormenting  them  with  solicitude,  to  the 
great  prejudice  of  their  health.  And  to  their  hearers,  because  the 
fear  of  forgetting  will  take  off  their  attention  from  the  management  of 
their  voice  ; the  consequence  whereof  is,  that  they  will  speak  with- 
out that  energy  which  impresses  the  meaning  on  the  audience,  and 
may,  moreover,  contract  bad  habits  of  drawling,  canting,  hesitating, 
or  quick  speaking;  which  are  all  disagreeable  to  rational  hearers,  and 
make  every  hearer  inattentive,  and  the  most  eloquent  sermon  in- 
sipid. 

“ Thirdly,  Those  preachers  who,  after  much  practice,  cannot  com- 
mit a discourse  to  memory  in  less  than  tv/o  days,  (and  this,  I believe, 
is  a common  case,)  should  never  in  my  opinion,  attempt  it ; except, 
perhaps,  on  extraordinary  occasions,  when  they  may  be  obliged  to 
speak  with  ease  and  elegance,  and  yet  have  no  opportunity  of  read- 
ing. Two  days  every  week  are  almost  a third  part  of  human  life. 
And  when  one  considers,  that  the  sermons  thus  committed  to  memo- 
ry are  forgotten  as  soon  as  delivered,  which  is  also  a common  case,  who 
would  not  regret  such  a waste  of  time. ^ At  this  rate,  of  thirty  years 
employed  in  the  ministry,  there  are  almost  ten  consumed — in  what  ? 
in  drudgery  more  laborious,  and  far  more  unprofitable,  than  that  of 
a school-boy ; in  loading  the  memory  with  words,  which  are  not  re- 
membered for  three  days  together.  Would  not  the  preacher  have 
laid  out  those  years  to  better  purpose,  in  giving  correctness  to  his 
public  discourses,  or  in  other  improving  studies,  or  in  visiting  and  in- 
structing the  neighbors,  or  in  agriculture,  and  the  like  liberal  amuse- 
ments ? Besides,  in  these  circumstances,  a clergyman  can  never 
preach  without  long  preparation  ; nor  if  at  any  time  his  health  should 
fail,  without  a degree  of  anxiety  that  may  be  detrimental  to  both  his 
mind  and  his  body. 

“ Indeed,  were  sermons,  that  are  pronounced  from  memory,  found 
to  have  a more  powerful  effect  upon  the  hearer,  than  such  as  are 
read,  I should  not  think  this  time  altogether  lost.  But,  if  the  preach- 
er have  learned  to  read  well,  which  he  may,  and  ought  to  do,  and  if 
he  write  what  he  has  to  say,  with  that  distinctness  which  is  here  rec- 
ommended, and  prepare  himself  for  the  public  exhibition  by  several 
private  rehearsals  at  home,  I am  inclined  to  think,  that  he  will  pro- 
nounce with  more  composure  and  self-command,  and  with  an  energy 
more  becoming  the  pulpit,  than  if  he  were  to  speak  from  recollection. 
For  in  the  one  case  his  mind  is  at  ease,  and  he  has  nothing  to  do  but 
pronounce ; in  the  other,  he  pronounces  and  recollects  at  the  same 
time,  and  is,  besides,  liable  to  mistakes  and  failures  of  memory,  and, 
if  his  nerves  are  not  uncommonly  strong,  to  occasional  fits  of  solici- 
tude. Why  does  a musician  choose  to  play  by  book  even  the  music 
that  he  remembers  ? It  is,  because  by  taking  in,  with  one  glance  of 
his  eye,  a number  of  contiguous  notes,  his  mind  is  always  disen- 
gaged, and  he  is  everywhere  the  better  prepared  for  introducing  the 
expressive  touches,  and  other  necessary  ornaments.  In  like  manner 


112 


DiALOGilES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


of  eloquence.  You  may  further  observe,  that  most  of  those 
who  preach  without  getting  their  sermons  by  heart,  do  not 
prepare  themselves  enough.  They  ought  to  study  their  sub- 
ject with  the  closest  attention,  prepare  all  those  moving  pas- 
sages that  should  affect  the  audience,  and  give  the  several 
parts  of  their  discourse  such  an  order  as  will  best  serve  to  set 
the  whole  in  the  most  proper  light. 

B.  You  have  oftentimes  spoken  of  this  order;  do  you 
mean  anything  else  by  it  than  a division  of  the  subject?  Per- 
haps you  have  some  peculiar  notion  on  this  point  too. 

A.  You  think  that  you  rally  me ; but  in  good  earnest, 
I am  as  singular  in  my  opinion  upon  this  head  as  on  any 
other. 

I easily  believe  you. 

A-  It  is  certainly  so ; and  since  we  have  fallen  upon  this 
subject,  I will  show  you  how  far  I think  the  greater  part  of 
orators  are  defective  in  the  point  of  order. 

jB.  Since  you  are  so  fond  of  order,  I hope  you  do  not  dis- 
like divisions. 

A.  I am  far  from  approving  them. 

B,  Why  ? Do  they  not  methodize  a discourse  ? 

A,  For  the  most  part,  divisions  give  only  a seeming  order  ; 
while  they  really  mangle  and  clog  a discourse,  by  separating 

a good  reader  will,  if  I mistake  not,  read  more  emphatically  and  with 
greater  elegance,  what  he  sees  before  him,  and  is  well  acquainted 
with,  than  he  can  pronounce  what  is  suggested  by  continual  recol- 
lection ; especially,  if  the  discourse  he  has  to  deliver  be  of  considera- 
ble length. 

“ As  to  the  effect  upon  the  hearers ; if  1 am  to  judge  from  my  own 
feelings,  and  trust  to  the  declaration  of  many  persons  of  candor  and 
sensibility,  1 must  say,  that  sermons  in  the  mouth  of  a good  reader 
have  a more  powerful  energy,  than  those  that  are  spoken  without 
book.  The  pathos  may  be  less  vehement,  perhaps,  but  it  is  more  so- 
lemn, and  seems  better  adapted  to  the  place  and  to  the  subject. 
Preachers,  indeed,  there  are,  who  lay  claim  to  extraordinary  gifts  and 
pretend  to  speak  from  supernatural  impulse  ; and  there  are  hearers, 
who  give  them  credit  for  this  ; and  that  what  is  written  and  read  to 
them,  has  too  much  the  air  of  mere  human  doctrine.  But  such  a 
conceit  is  of  no  account  in  rational  inquiry,  for  it  only  proves,  that 
the  preacher  is  vain  and  the  people  ignorant. 

“ In  Italy  and  France,  sermons  are  generally  pronounced  without 
notes.  But  they  are  at  the  same  time  accompanied  with  much  the- 
atrical gesture  ; and  the  consequence  is,  that  the  people  consider 
them  rather  as  an  amusement,  than  as  a part  of  the  church  service. 
In  England,  the  established  clergy  do  for  the  most  part  read  their 
sermons.  And  England  has  produced  a greater  number  of  good 
preachers,  than  any  other  country  in  Europe.” — Beattie  on  Memory. 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


113 


it  into  two  or  three  parts,  which  must  interrupt  the  orator’s 
action,  and  the  effect  it  ought  to  produce.  There  remains 
no  true  unity  after  such  divisions, ^ seeing  they  make  two  or 
three  different  discourses,  which  are  joined  into  one,  only  by 
an  arbitrary  connection.  For  three  sermons  preached  at 
different  times,  (if they  be  formed  upon  some  regular  con- 
certed plan,  as  the  sermons  in  Advent  usually  are,)  make 
one  piece  or  entire  discourse,  as  much,  as  the  three  points  of 
any  of  these  sermons  make  one  whole  by  being  joined,  and 
delivered,  together.^ 


^ A text  being  opened,  then  the  point  upon  which  the  sermon  is  to 
run,  is  to  be  opened,  and  it  will  be  the  better  heard  and  understood,  if 
there  be  but  one  point  in  a sermon  ; so  that  one  head,  and  only  one 
is  well  stated,  and  fully  set  out. — Discourse  on  the  Pastoral  Care^ 
p.  249. 

^ A question  has  been  moved  whether  this  method  of  laying  down 
heads,  as  it  is  called,  be  the  best  method  of  preaching.  A very  able 
judge,  the  archbishop  of  Cambray,  in  his  dialogues  on  eloquence,  de- 
clares strongly  against  it.  But  notwithstanding  his  authority  and  ar- 
guments, 1 cannot  help  being  of  opinion,  that  the  present  method  of 
dividing  a sermon  into  heads,  ought  not  to  be  laid  aside.  Establish- 
ed practice  has  now  given  it  so  much  weight,  that,  were  there  nothing 
more  in  its  favor,  it  would  be  dangerous  for  any  preacher  to  deviate 
so  far  from  the  common  track.  But  the  practice  itself  has  also,  in  my 
judgment,  much  reason  on  its  side.  If  formal  partitions  give  a ser- 
mon less  of  the  oratorical  appearance,  they  render  it,  however,  more 
clear,  more  easily  apprehended,  and  of  course,  more  instructive  to 
the  bulk  of  hearers,  which  is  always  the  main  object  to  be  kept  in  view. 
The  heads  of  a sermon  are  great  assistances  to  the  memory  and  recol- 
lection of  a hearer.  They  serve  also  to  fix  his  attention.  They  ena- 
ble him  more  easily  to  keep  pace  with  the  progress  of  the  discourse  ; 
they  give  him  pauses  and  resting-places,  where  he  can  reflect  on 
what  has  been  said,  and  look  forward  to  what  is  to  follow.  They  are 
attended  with  this  advantage  too,  that  they  give  the  audience  the  op- 
portunity of  knowing,  beforehand,  when  they  are  to  be  released  from 
the  fatigue  of  attention,  and  thereby  make  them  follow  the  speaker 
more  patiently.  “ The  conclusion  of  each  head,”  says  Quintilian, 
“ is  a relief  to  the  hearers;  just  as  upon  a journey,  the  mile-stones, 
which  are  set  up  on  the  road,  serve  to  diminish  the  traveller’s  fatigue. 
For  we  are  always  pleased  with  seeing  our  labor  begin  to  lessen,  and, 
by  calculating  how  much  remains,  are  stirred  up  to  finish  our  task 
more  cheerfully.”  With  regard  to  breaking  the  unity  of  a discourse, 
1 cannot  be  of  opinion  that  there  arises,  from  that  quarter,  any  argu- 
ment against  the  method  i am  defending.  If  the  unity  be  broken,  it 
is  to  the  nature  of  the  heads,  or  topics  of  which  the  speaker  treats, 
that  this  is  to  be  imputed,  not  to  his  laying  them  down  in  form.  On 
the  contrary,  if  his  heads  be  well  chosen,  his  marking  them  out,  and 
distinguishing  them,  in  place  of  impairing  the  unity  of  the  whole, 
renders  it  more  conspicuous  and  complete,  by  showing  how  all  the 
10* 


114 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


jB.  What  is  it  then  that  you  mean  by  order  ? How  con- 
fused must  a discourse  be  that  is  not  divided  ! 

A.  Do  you  think  there  is  more  confusion  in  the  orations  of 
Demosthenes  and  Tully,  than  in  the  sermons  of  your  parish 
preacher  ? 

B,  I do  not  know.  I believe  not. 

A.  You  need  not  be  afraid  of  giving  your  judgment  too 
freely.  The  harangues  of  these  great  men  are  not  divided 
as  our  sermons  are.  Nay,  Isocrates,  (of  whom  we  spoke  so 
much  before,)  and  other  ancient  orators,  did  not  follow  our 
method  of  dividing.  The  fathers  of  the  church  knew  noth- 
ing of  it.  Even  St.  Bernard,  the  last  of  them,  only  gives  a 
hint  of  some  divisions,  and  does  not  pursue  them,  nor  divide 
his  discourses  in  form.  And  for  a long  time  after  him,  ser- 
mons were  not  divided.  It  is  a modern  invention,  which  we 
owe  originally  to  the  scholastic  divines. 

B.  I grant  that  the  schoolmen  are  a very  bad  model  for  el- 
oquence ; but  what  form  did  the  ancients  use  to  give  their 
discourses  ? 

A.  They  did  not  divide  them ; but  they  pointed  out  care- 
fully all  those  things  that  ought  to  be  distinguished  ; to  each 
of  them  they  assigned  its  proper  place,i  after  having  atten- 
tively considered  where  it  might  be  introduced  to  the  best 
advantage,  and  be  fittest  to  make  a due  impression.  Oft- 
times  that,  which  would  seem  nothing  to  the  purpose  by  be- 
ing unseasonably  urged,  has  a very  great  weight  when  it  is 
reserved  for  its  proper  place,  till  the  audience  be  prepared 
by  other  things  to  feel  all  its  force  and  consequence.  Nay, 
a single  word,  when  happily  applied,  will  set  the  truth  in  the 
strongest  light.  Cicero  tells  us,  that  we  ought  sometimes  to 
delay  giving  a full  view  of  the  truth,  till  the  very  conclusion. 
But  then  throughout  our  discourse,  there  ought  to  run  such 
a concatenation  of  proofs,  as  that  the  first  may  make  way 
for  the  second,  and  the  next  always  serve  to  support  the 
former. 


parts  of  a discourse  hang  upon  one  another  and  tend  to  one  point. — 
Blair. 

^ Ordinis  haec  virtus  erit  et  venus,  aut  ego  fallor, 

Ut  jam  nunc  dicat  jam  nunc  debentia  dici, 

Pleraque  differat,  et  praesens  in  tempus  omittat 

Infelix  operis  summa,  quia  ponere  totum 
Nesciet  


Hor  de  A.  P, 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


115 


We  ought  at  first  to  give  a general  view  of  our  subject,  and 
endeavor  to  gain  the  favor  of  the  audience  by  a modest  in- 
troduction,i a respectful  address,  and  the  genuine  marks  of 
candor  and  probity.  Then  we  should  establish  those  princi- 
ples on  which  we  design  to  argue,  and  in  a clecPl:,  easy,  sensi- 
ble manner  propose  the  principal  facts  we  are  to  build  on, 
insisting  chiefly  on  those  circumstances,  of  which  w^e  intend 
to  make  use  afterwards.  From  these  principles  and  facts  we 
must  draw  just  consequences,  and  argue  in  such  a clear  and 
well-connected  manner,  that  all  our  truths  may  support  each 
other,  and  so  be  the  more  remembered.  Every  step  we  ad- 
vance, our  discourse  ought  to  grow  stronger,  so  that  the 
hearers  may  gradually  perceive  the  force  and  evidence  of  the 
truth,  and  then  we  ought  to  display  it  in  such  lively  images 
and  movements  as  are  proper  to  excite  the  passions.  In  or- 
der to  this  we  must  know  their  various  springs,  and  the  mu- 
tual dependence  they  have  one  upon  another ; which  of  them 
we  can  most  easily  move,  and  employ  to  raise  the  rest ; and 
which  of  them,  in  fine,  is  able  to  produce  the  greatest  effects, 
and  must  therefore  be  applied  to,  in  the  conclusion  of  our 
discourse.  It  is  ofttimes  proper,  at  the  close,  to  make  a 
short  recapitulation,  in  which  the  orator  ought  to  exert  all 
his  force  and  skill  in  giving  the  audience  a full,  clear,  con- 
cise view  of  the  chief  topics  he  has  enlarged  on.  In  short, 
one  is  not  obliged  always  to  follow  this  method  without  any 
variation.  There  are  exceptions  and  allowances  to  be  made, 
for  different  subjects  and  occasions.  And  even  in  this  order 
I have  proposed,  one  may  find  an  endless  variety.  But  now 
you  may  easily  see,  that  this  method,  (which  is  chiefly  taken 
from  Tully,)  cannot  be  observed  in  a discourse  that  is  di- 
vided into  three  parts,  nor  can  it  be  followed  in  each  partic- 
ular division.  We  ought  therefore  to  choose  some  method. 
Sir,  but  such  a method  is  not  discovered,  and  promised  in 
the  beginning  of  our  discourse.  Cicero  tells  us,  that  the 
host  method  is  generally  to  conceal  the  order  we  follow,  till 
we  lead  the  hearer  to  it  without  his  being  aware  of  it  before. 
I remember,  he  says  in  express  terms,  that  we  ought  to  con- 


' Sed  liaec  adjuvant  in  oratore,  lenitas  vocis,  vultus,  pudoris  signi- 
ficatio,  verborum  comitas ; si  quid  persequare  acriiis,  ut  invitus,  et 
coactus  facere,  videare.  Facilitatis,  liberalitatis,  mansuetudinis,  pie- 
tatis,  grati  animi,  non  appetentis,  nonavidi  signa  proferri  perutile  est 
— tantum  autem  efficitur  sensu  quodain  ac  ratione  dicendi,  ut  quasi 
mores  oratoris  effingat  oratia.— C^c.  de  Oral. 


116 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


ceal  even  the  number  of  our  arguments,  so  that  one  shall  not 
be  able  to  count  them,  though  they  be  very  distinct  in  them- 
selves; and  that  we  ought  not  plainly  to  point  out  the  divis- 
ion of  a discourse.  But  such  is  the  undistinguishing  taste  of 
these  latter  ages,  that  an  audience  cannot  perceive  any  order 
unless  the  speaker  distinctly  explain  it  in  the  beginning,  and 
even  intimate  to  them  his  gradual  advances  from  the  first  to 
the  second,  and  following  general  heads  or  subdivisions  of 
his  discourse. 

C.  But  do  not  divisions  help  to  support  the  attention,  and 
ease  the  memory  of  the  hearers  ? It  is  for  their  better  in- 
struction that  the  speaker  divides  his  discourse. 

A.  A division  chiefly  relieves  the  speaker’s  memory.  And 
even  this  effect  might  be  much  better  obtained  by  his  follow- 
ing a natural  order,  without  any  express  division ; for  the 
true  connection  of  things  best  directs  the  mind.  Our  com- 
mon divisions  are  of  use  to  those  only,  who  have  studied,  and 
been  trained  up  to  this  method  in  the  schools.  And  if  the 
common  people  retain  the  division  better  than  the  rest  of  the 
sermon,  it  is  only  because  they  hear  it  often  repeated;  but, 
generally  speaking,  they  best  remember  practical  points,  and 
such  things  as  strike  their  senses  and  imagination. 

B,  The  order  you  propose  may  be  proper  enough  for 
some  subjects,  but  it  cannot  be  fit  for  all,  for  we  have  not  al- 
ways facts  to  lay  down. 

A.  When  we  have  none  we  must  do  without  them,  but 
there  are  very  few  subjects  into  which  they  might  not  be 
aptly  introduced.  One  of  Plato’s  chief  beauties  is,  that  in 
the  beginning  of  his  moral  pieces,  he  usually  gives  us  some 
fragment  of  history,  or  some  tradition  that  serves  as  the  foun- 
dation of  his  discourse.  This  method  would  far  more  be- 
come those  who  preach  religion,  which  is  entirely  founded 
upon  tradition,  history,  and  the  most  ancient  records.  In- 
deed, most  preachers  argue  but  weakly,  and  do  not  instruct 
people  sufficiently,  because  they  do  not  trace  back  things«to 
these  sources. 

B.  We  have  already  given  you  too  much  trouble.  Sir,  and 
I am  almost  ashamed  to  detain  you  longer,  but  I wish  hear- 
tily you  would  allow  me  to  ask  you  a few  more  questions 
concerning  the  rules  of  public  discourse. 

A.  With  all  my  heart ; I am  not  yet  weary  ; you  may  dis- 
pose as  you  please,  of  the  little  time  I have  left. 

B.  Well  then,  you  would  have  all  false  and  trifling  orna- 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


117 


merits  entirely  banished  from  discourse.  Now,  though  you 
touched  upon  this  point  before,  pray  show  me,  by  some  sen- 
sible examples,  how  to  distinguish  such  false  beauties  from" 
those  that  are  solid  and  natural. ^ 

A.  Do  you  love  quavering  notes  in  music  ? Are  you  not 
better  pleased  with  those  brisk,  significant  notes  that  describe 
things,  and  express  the  passions  ? 

JB,  Yes,  certainly ; for  quavers  are  of  no  use ; they  only 
amuse  the  ear,  and  do  not  affect  the  mind.  Our  music  was 
once  full  of  them,  and  was  therefore  very  weak  and  confused ; 
but  now  we  begin  to  refine  our  taste,  and  to  come  nearer  the 
music  of  the  ancients,  which  is  a kind  of  passionate  decla- 
mation that  acts  powerfully  upon  the  soul. 

A,  I knew  that  music,  of  which  you  are  so  good  a judge, 
would  serve  to  make  you  understand  what  concerns  elo- 
quence. There  ought  to  be  a kind  of  eloquence  in  music 
itself;  and  in  both  these  arts,  we  ought  to  reject  all  false  and 
trilling  beauties.  Do  you  not  perceive  now  that  by  a trilling 
discourse  I mean  the  humming  jingle  of  languid,  uniform 
periods,  a chiming  of  words  that  returns  perpetually  like  the 
burden  of  a song  ? This  is  the  false  eloquence  that  resem- 
bles bad  music. 

B.  I wish.  Sir,  you  could  make  it  a little  plainer  still. 

A.  The  reading  of  good  and  bad  orators  will  more  effect- 
ually form  your  taste,  on  this  point,  than  all  the  rules  in  the 
world.  However,  it  were  easy  to  satisfy  you  by  some  perti- 
nant  examples.  I will  not  mention  any  modern  ones,  though 
we  abound  in  false  ornaments.  That  I may  not  offend  any 
person,  let  us  return  to  Isocrates,  who  is  the  standard  of 
those  nice  and  florid  harangues  that  are  now  in  vogue.  Did 
you  ever  read  his  famous  panegyric  on  Helen  ? 

- B.  Yes ; I have  read  it  sometime  ago. 

A.  How  did  you  like  it  ? 


^ False  eloquence,  like  the  prismatic  glass, 

Its  gaudy  colors  spreads  on  every  place  ; 

The  face  of  nature  we  no  more  survey, 

All  glares  alike,  without  distinction  gay. 

Butlrue  expression,  like  the  unchanging  sun. 

Clears  and  improves  whatever  it  shines  upon. 

It  gilds  all  objects,  but  it  alters  none. 

Expression  is  the  dress  of  thought,  and  still 
Appears  more  decent,  as  more  suitable. 

Pope’s  Essay  on  Criticism, 


118 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


B.  Extremely  well.  I thought  I never  saw  so  much  wit, 
elegance,  sweetness,  invention,  and  delicacy  in  any  compo- 
sure. I own  to  you  that  Homer  himself,  (whom  I read  after- 
wards,) did  not  seem  to  have  so  much  spirit  as  he.  But 
now  that  you  have  shown  me  what  ought  to  be  the  true  aim 
of  poets  and  orators,  I see  plainly  that  Homer,  who  conceal- 
ed his  art,  vastly  surpasses  Isocrates,  who  took  so  much  pains 
to  display  his  skill.  But  I was  once  charmed  with  that  ora- 
tor, and  should  have  been  so  still,  if  you  had  not  undeceived 

me.  Mr. is  the  Isocrates  of  our  days  ; and  I perceive 

that  by  showing  the  defects  of  that  ancient  orator,  you  con- 
demn all  those  who  imitate  his  florid,  effeminate  rhetoric. 

A.  I am  now  speaking  of  Isocrates  only.  In  the  begin- 
ning of  his  encomium  he  magnifies  the  love  that  Theseus 
had  for  Helen,  and  fancied  that  he  should  give  a lofty  idea 
of  her,  by  describing  the  heroic  qualities  of  that  great  man 
who  fell  in  love  with  her;  as  if  Theseus,  (whom  the  ancients 
always  represent  as  weak  and  inconstant  in  his  amours,)  could 
not  have  been  smitten  with  a woman  of  a moderate  beauty. 
Then  he  comes  to  the  judgment  that  Paris  formed  of  her. 
He  says  that  a dispute  having  arisen  among  the  goddesses 
concerning  their  beauty,  they  agreed  to  make  Paris  judge  of 
it ; upon  which  occasion  Juno  proffered  him  the  empire  of 
Asia ; Minerva  assured  him  of  constant  victory  in  battles ; 
and  Venus  tempted  him  with  the  beautiful  Helen.  Now 
seeing  Paris,  when  he  was  to  determine  this  matter,  could 
not  behold  the  faces  of  those  goddesses  because  of  their 
dazzling  splendor,  he  could  only  judge  of  the  worth  of  the 
three  things  that  they  offered,  and  upon  the  comparison  he 
preferred-  Helen  to  empire  and  to  victory.  Then  the  orator 
praises  the  judgment  of  Paris,  in  whose  determination  the 
goddesses  themselves  acquiesced ; and  adds  these  remarkable 
words,i  I wonder  that  any  one  should  think  Paris  indiscreet 
in  choosing  to  live  with  her,  for  whom  many  demigods  would 
have  been  willing  to  die.” 

C.  This  puts  me  in  mind  of  our  preachers,  who  are  so 
full  of  antitheses  and  turns  of  wit.  There  are  a great  many 
such  orators  as  Isocrates. 

A.  He  is  their  master ! all  the  rest  of  his  panegyric  is  of 
the  same  strain.  It  is  founded  on  the  long  war  of  Troy; 

' Oavfia^o)  6’’  el  rtg  olerat  naKug  (Se(3ov7^eva'd-ai  rbv  fiera  ravrrjg 
eTiojitevov,  yg  evcKa  noXXol  to)v  y/xt'&icov  aTro'&vrjanetv  rj^eTirjoav. — Isocr, 
Hel.  Laud. 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


119 


the  calamities  that  the  Greeks  suffered  for  the  rape  of  Helen, 
and  the  praise  of  beauty,  which  has  so  much  power  over 
men.  There  is  nothing  in  the  whole  discourse  solidly  proved, 
nor  the  least  point  of  moral  instruction.  He  judges  of  the 
worth  of  things  only  according  to  men’s  extravagant  passions. 
And  as  his  proofs  are  weak,  so  his  style  is  flourished  and 
finical.  I quoted  this  passage,  profane  as  it  is,  because  it  is 
a very  famous  one,  and  because  this  affected  manner  is  very 
much  in  fashion.  The  more  grave  discourses  of  Isocrates 
are  composed  in  the  same  spruce,  effeminate  way,  and  are 
full  of  such  false  beauties  as  that  I have  now  mentioned. 

C.  I find  you  like  none  of  those  witty  turns,  which  have 
nothing  in  them  that  is  either  solid,  natural,  or  affecting,  and 
tend  neither  to  convince,  nor  paint,  nor  persuade.  The  ex- 
ample you  have  brought  from  Isocrates,  though  it  be  upon  a 
trifling  subject,  is  yet  very  pertinent,  for  all  such  tinsel  wit 
must  appear  still  more  ridiculous  when  it  is  applied  to  grave 
and  serious  matters. 

A.  But,  Sir,  as  to  Isocrates,  do  not  you  think  I had  rea- 
son to  censure  him  as  freely  as  Tully  assures  us  Aristotle 
did? 

B,  What  says  Tully  ? 

A.  That  Aristotle,^  perceiving  Isocrates  had  perverted 
eloquence  from  its  proper  use,  to  amusement  and  ostentation, 
and  thereby  drawn  to  himself  the  most  considerable  disciples, 
applied  to  him  a verse  of  Philoctetes,  to  show  how  much  he 
was  ashamed  of  being  silent,  while  that  vain  declaimer  car- 
ried all  before  him.  But  I have  done  now ; it  is  time  for  me 
to  be  going. 

B.  We  cannot  part  with  you  so  soon.  Sir ; will  you  allow 
of  no  antitheses  ? 

A.  Yes;  when  the  things  we  speak  of  are  naturally  oppo- 
site one  to  another,  it  may  be  proper  enough  to  show  their 
opposition.  Such  antitheses  are  just  and  have  a solid  beauty, 
and  a right  application  of  them  is  often  the  most  easy  and 
concise  manner  of  explaining  things.  But  it  is  extremely 
childish  to  use  artificial  turns  and  windings  to  make  words 
clash  and  play  one  against  another.  At  first,  this  may  hap- 
pen to  dazzle  those  who  have  no  taste,  but  they  soon  grow 
weary  of  such  a silly  affectation.  Did  you  ever  observe  the 
Gothic  architecture  of  our  old  churches  ? 

B.  Yes ; it  is  very  common.. 


1 Lib.  iii.  § 35. 


120 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOaUENCE. 


A.  Did  you  take  notice  of  the  roses,  holes,  unconnected 
ornaments,  and  disjointed  little  knacks  that  these  Gothic 
buildings  are  full  of?  These  odd  conceits  are  just  such 
beauties  in  architecture,  as  forced  antitheses  and  quibbles 
are  in  eloquence.  The  Grecian  architecture  is  far  more 
simple,  and  admits  of  none  but  natural,  solid  and  majestic 
ornaments ; we  see  nothing  in  it  but  what  is  great,  propor- 
tioned, and  well  placed.  But  the  Gothic  kind  was  invented 
by  the  Arabians,  who  being  a people  of  a quick,  sprightly 
fancy,  and  having  no  rule  nor  culture,  could  scarce  avoid 
falling  into  these  whimsical  niceties.  And  this  vivacity  cor- 
rupted their  taste  in  all  other  things.  For,  they  used  soph- 
isms in  their  logic,  they  loved  little  knacks  in  architecture, 
and  invented  witticisms  in  poetry  and  eloquence.  All  these 
are  of  the  same  kind. 

jB.  This  is  curious,  indeed.  You  think  then  that  a ser- 
mon, full  of  forced  antitheses,  and  such  kind  of  ornaments, 
is  like  a church  built  in  the  Gothic  way. 

A.  Yes;  I think  the  comparison  is  just. 

B.  Let  me  ask  you  but  one  question  more,  and  then  you 
shall  go. 

A . What  is  it  ? 

B.  It  seems  very  difficult  to  give  a particular  account  of 
facts  in  a noble  style ; and  yet  we  ought  to  do  so,  if  we  talk 
solidly  as  you  require.  Pray,  what  is  the  proper  style  for 
expatiating  in  such  cases  ? 

A.  We  are  so  much  afraid  of  a low  strain,  that  our  ex- 
pressions are  usually  dry,  lifeless  and  indeterminate.  They 
who  praise  a saint,  pitch  on  the  most  magnificent  phrases. 
They  tell  us  he  was  an  admirable  person,  that  his  virtues 
were  celestial,  that  he  was  rather  an  angel  than  a man.  And 
thus  the  whole  encomium  is  a mere  declamation,  without  any 
proof,  and  without  drawing  a just  character.  On  the  con- 
trary, the  ancient  Greeks  made  little  use  of  these  general 
terms,  which  prove  nothing,  but  they  insisted  much  on  facts, 
and  the  particulars  of  a character.  For  instance,  Xenophon 
does  not  once  say  in  all  his  Cyropaedia,  that  Cyrus  was  an 
admirable  man,  but  throughout  the  work  he  makes  us  really 
admire  him.  Thus  it  is,  that  we  ought  to  praise  holy  per- 
sons, by  entering  into  the  particular  detail  of  their  sentiments 
and  actions.  But  there  prevails  an  affected  politeness  among 
the  pedantic  and  conceited  part  of  all  ranks  and  professions, 
who  value  themselves  upon  their  wit  or  learning.  They 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


121 


never  venture  to  use  any  expression,  but  what  they  reckon 
fine  and  uncommon.  They  talk  always  in  a high  strain 
and  would  think  it  beneath  them  to  call  things  by  their 
proper  names.  Now  in  true  eloquence  almost  everything 
may  be  introduced.  The  perfection  of  poetry  itself,  (which 
is  the  loftiest  kind  of  composure,)  depends  on  a full  and  lively 
description  of  things  in  all  their  circumstances.  When  Vir- 
gil represents  the  Trojan  fleet  leaving  the  African  shore,  or 
arriving  on  the  coast  of  Italy,  you  see  every  proper  circum- 
stance exactly  described.  But  we  must  own  that  the  Greeks 
entered  still  further  into  the  particular  detail  of  things,  and 
followed  nature  more  closely  in  representing  the  smallest  cir- 
cumstances. For  which  reason,  many  people  would  be  apt 
(if  they  dared)  to  reckon  Homer  too  plain  and  simple  in  his 
narrations.  In  this  ancient,  beautiful  simplicity,  (which  few 
are  able  to  relish,)  this  poet  very  much  resembles  the  Holy 
Scripture ; but  in  many  places  the  sacred  writings  surpass 
his,  as  much  as  he  excels  all  the  other  ancients,  in  a natural 
and  lively  representation  of  things. 

jj5.  In  relating  facts,  then,  ought,  we  to  describe  every  in- 
dividual circumstance  that  belongs  to  them? 

A.  No ; we  should  represent  nothing  to  the  hearers  but 
what  deserves  their  attention,  and  helps  to  give  a clear  and  just 
idea  of  the  things  we  describe ; so  that  it  requires  great  judg- 
ment to  make  a right  choice  of  circumstances.^  But  we 
must  not  be  afraid  of  mentioning  such  as  can  be  any  way 
serviceable ; for  it  is  a false  politeness  that  leads  us  to  sup- 
press some  useful  things,  because  we  do  not  think  them  capa- 
ble of  any  ornament.  Besides,  Homer  has  shown  us  by  his 
example  that  we  might  give  a proper  grace  and  embellish- 
ment to  every  subject.^ 


^ Prima  est  eloquentiae  virtus  perspicuitas  ; et  quo  quis  ingenio 
minus  valet,  hoc  se  magis  attollere  et  dilatare  conatur;  ut  statura 
bieves  in  digitos  eriguntur,  et  plura  infirmi  minantur.  Nam  tumi- 
dos,  et  corruptos,  et  tinnulos  et  quocumque  alio  cacozeliae  genere 
peccantes,  certum  habeo,  non  virium,  sed  infirmitatis  vitio  laborare  ; 
ut  corpora  non  robore,  sed  valetudine,  inflantur. — Quint,  lib.  ii.  c.  3. 

® See  Longinus,  § x. 

^ First  follow  nature,  and  your  judgment  frame 
By  her  just  standard,  which  is  still  the  same; 

Unerring  nature,  still  divinely  bright. 

One  clear,  unchanged,  and  universal  light. 

Life,  force,  and  beauty  must  to  all  impart. 

At  once  the  source,  and  end,  and  test  of  art. 

11 


122 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


B,  Seeing  you  condemn  the  florid,  swelling  style,  what 
kind  do  you  reckon  fittest  for  public  use? 

A,  There  ought  to  be  a variety  of  style  in  every  discourse. 
We  should  rise  in  our  expression  when  we  speak  of  lofty 
subjects,  and  be  familiar  in  common  ones,  without  being 
coarse  or  grovelling.^  In  most  cases,  an  easy  simplicity  and 
exactness  is  sufficient,  though  some  things  require  vehemence 
and  sublimity.  If  a painter  should  draw  nothing  but  mag- 
nificent palaces,  he  could  not  follow  truth,  but  must  paint 
his  own  fancies,  and  by  that  means  soon  cloy  us.  He  ought 
to  copy  nature  in  its  agreeable  varieties,  and  after  drawing  a 
stately  city,  it  might  be  proper  to  represent  a desert  and  the 
huts  of  shepherds.  Most  of  those  who  aim  at  making  fine 
harangues,  injudiciously  labor  to  clothe  all  their  thoughts  in 
a pompous,  gaudy  dress  and  they  fancy  that  they  have 


Art  from  that  fund  each  just  supply  provides, 

Works  without  show,  and  without  pomp  presides. 

Those  rules  of  old  discover’d,  not  devised, 

Are  nature  still,  but  nature  methodiz’d  ; 

Nature,  like  monarchy,  is  but  restrain’d 
By  the  same  laws  which  first  herself  ordained. 

Pope's  Essay  on  Criticism. 

^ ''Egtlv  ap’  6 IdiOTiajub^  evlore  tov  noapov  TcaparcoXv  k(jL(^aviGTiK6)Te- 
pov  ' eneyivLjaKeTaL  yap  avTO'&ev  e/c  rov  koivov  (Slov  • rb  de  ovvrjd-cg 

ydr]  TTLarbropov Tavra  yap  kyyi)^  Trapa^vei  ryv  i6LC)T7}v,  aX)C  ovk 

idioTevei  rip  arjpavTLKcp. — Longinus.,  § xxxi. 

“Affectation  of  every  sort  is  odious,  and  more  especially  an  affec- 
tation that  betrays  a minister  into  expressions  fit  only  for  the  mouths 
of  the  illiterate.  Truth,  indeed,  needs  no  ornament,  neither  does  a 
beautiful  person  ; but  to  clothe  it  therefore  in  rags,  when  a decent 
habit  is  at  hand,  would  be  esteemed  preposterous  and  absurd.  The 
best  proportioned  figure  may  be  made  offensive  by  beggary  and  filth  ; 
and  even  truths,  which  came  down  from  Heaven,  though  they  can- 
not forego  their  nature,  may  be  disguised  and  disgraced  by  unsuitable 
language.  He  that  speaks  to  be  understood  by  a congregation  of  rus- 
tics, and  yet  in  terms  that  would  not  offend  academic  ears,  has  found 
the  happy  medium.  This  is  certainly  practicable  to  men  of  taste  and 
judgment,  and  the  practice  of  a few  proves  it.” — Cowper. 

2 Namque  illud  genus  ostentation!  compositum,  solam  petit  audi- 
entium  voluptatem  ; ideoque  omnes  dicendi  artes  aperit,  ornatumque 
orationis  exponit — Mala  affectatio,  per  omne  dicendi  genus  peccat. 
Nam  et  tumida,  et  exilia,  et  praedulcia,  et  abundantia,  et  arcessita,  et 
exultantia  sub  idem  nomen  cadunt.  Denique  nano^rj'kov  vocatur, 
quicquid  est  ultra  virtutem  ; quoties  ingenium  judicio  caret,  et  specie 
boni  falletur ; omnium  in  eloquentia  vitiorum  pessimum,  narn  caete- 
ra  parum  vitantur,  hoc  petitur. — Quint,  lib.  viii.  c.  3. 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


123 


succeeded  happily,  when  they  express  some  general  remarks 
in  a florid,  lofty  style.  Their  only  care  is  to  fill  their  dis- 
course with  abundance  of  ornaments,  to  please  the  vitiated 
taste  of  their  audience;  like  ignorant  cooks,  who  know  not 
how  to  season  dishes,  in  a proper,  natural  way,  but  fancy  they 
must  give  them  an  exquisite  relish  by  mixing  excessive  quan- 
tities of  the  most  seasoning  things.  But  the  style  of  a true 
orator  has  nothing  in  it  that  is  swelling  or  ostentatious;  he 
always  adapts  it  to  the  subjects  he  treats  of,  and  the  persons 
he  instructs,  and  manages  it  so  judiciously  that  he  never  aims 
at  being  sublime  and  lofty,  but  when  he  ought  to  be  so.i 

^ The  style  most  fit  for  the  pulpit  is  thus  defined  by  Dr.  Fordyce. 
“I  would  call  it,  in  a few  words,  simple,  yet  great;  adorned,  yet 
chaste  ; animated  and  strong,  at  the  same  time  easy,  and  somewhat 
diffuse;  and,  in  fine,  numerous  and  flowing,  without  running  into 
the  poetical,  or  swelling  into  bombast.’' — Eloquence  of  the  Pulpit. 

1 have  been  curious  enough  to  take  a list  of  several  hundred  words 
in  a sermon  of  a new  beginner,  which  notone  of  his  hearers  among 
a hundred  could  possibly  understand  ; neither  can  1 easily  call  to 
mind  any  clergyman  of  my  own  acquaintance,  who  is  wholly  exempt 
from  this  error,  although  many  of  them  agree  with  me  in  the  dislike 
of  the  thing.  But  I am  apt  to  put  myself  in  the  place  of  the  vulgar, 
and  think  many  words  difficult  or  obscure,  which  the  preacher  will 
not  allow  to  be  so,  because  those  words  are  obvious  to  scholars.  1 
believe  the  method  observed  bj^  the  famous  Lord  Falkland,  in  some 
of  his  writings,  would  not  be  an  ill  one  for  young  divines;  1 was  as- 
sured by  an  old  person  of  quality,  who  knew  him  well,  that  wflien  he 
doubted  whether  a word  was  perfectly  intelligible  or  not,  he  used  to 
consult  one  of  his  lady’s  chambermaids,  (not  the  w^aiting  woman, 
because  it  was  possible  she  might  be  conversant  in  romances,)  and 
by  her  judgment  was  guided  whether  to  receive  or  reject  it.  And 
if  that  great  person  thought  such  a caution  necessary  in  treatises  of- 
fered to  the  learned  wmrld,  it  will  be  sure  at  least  as  proper  in  ser- 
mons, where  the  meanest  hearer  is  supposed  to  be  concerned,  and 
where  very  often  a lady’s  chambermaid  may  be  allowed  to  equal  half 
the  congregation,  both  as  to  quality  and  understanding.  But  I know 
not  how  it  comes  to  pass,  that  professors  in  most,  arts  and  sciences 
are  generally  the  worst  qualified  to  explain  their  meanings  to  those 
who  are  not  of  their  tribe  ; a common  farmer  shall  make  you  under- 
stand in  three  words,  that  his  foot  is  out  of  joint,  or  his  collar-bone 
broken  ; wherein  a surgeon,  after  a hundred  terms  of  art,  if  you  are 
not  a scholar,  shall  leave  you  to  seek.  It  is  frequently  the  same  case 
in  law,  pliysic,  and  even  many  of  the  meaner  arts. — Sioift's  Letter  to 
a Young  Clergyman. 

A man  of  merit  and  breeding  you  may  disguise,  by  putting  him  in 
the  apparel  of  a clown,  but  you  cannot  justly  find  fault,  that  in  that 
garb  he  meets  not  with  the  same  reception  in  good  company,  that  he 
would  meet  with  if  more  suitably  habited.  The  outward  appearance 
is  the  first  thing  that  strikes  us  in  a person ; the  expression  is  the 


124 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


JB.  What  you  said  concerning  the  language  of  Scripture, 
makes  me  wish  earnestly  that  you  would  show  us  the  beauty 
of  it.  May  we  not  see  you  some  time  to-morrow  ? 

A.  1 shall  hardly  have  time  to-morrow,  but  I will  endeavor 
to  wait  on  you  this  evening.  And  since  you  seem  so  desir- 
rous  of  it,  we  will  talk  of  the  word  of  God,  for  hitherto  we 
have  only  spoken  of  the  language  of  men. 

(7.  Farewell,  Sir,  I beg  of  you  to  be  punctual;  otherwise 
we  must  come  and  find  you  out. 


THIRD  DIALOGUE. 

C.  I began  to  fear.  Sir,  that  you  would  not  come ; and 
was  very  near  going  to  seek  for  you  at  Mr. . 

A,  I was  detained  by  a perplexing  affair  I had  upon  my 
hands,  but  I have  got  rid  of  it  to  my  satisfaction. 

jB.  I am  very  glad  of  it,  for  we  wanted  you  extremely  to 
finish  the  subject  we  were  talking  of  in  the  morning. 

C,  Since  I parted  with  you.  Sir,  I heard  a sermon  at , 

and  I thought  of  you.  The  preacher  spoke  in  a very  edify* *- 
ing  manner,  but  I question  whether  the  common  people  un- 
derstood him. 

A.  It  happens  but  too  often,  (as  I heard  an  ingenious  lady 
observe,)  that  our  preachers  speak  Latin  in  (English).  The 
most  essential  quality  of  a good  preacher  is  to  be  instructive,^ 


first  thing  that  strikes  us  in  a discourse.  Take  care  at  least,  that  in 
neither,  there  be  anything  to  make  an  unfavourable  impression, 
which  may  preclude  all  further  inquiry  and  regard.  It  was  extreme- 
ly well  said  by  a very  popular  preacher  in  our  own  days,  who  when 
consulted  by  a friend  that  had  a mind  to  publish,  whether  he  thought 
it  befitting  a writer  on  religion  to  attend  to  such  little  matters  as 
grammatical  correctness,  answered,  “ by  all  means.  It  is  much 
better  to  write  so  as  to  make  a critic  turn  Christian,  than  so  as  to 
make  a Christian  turn  critic.'’ — Campbell,  on  Pulpit  Eloquence. 

* As  I take  it,  the  two  principal  branches  of  preaching  are,  first,  to 
tell  the  people  what  is  their  duty,  and  then  to  convince  them  that  it 
is  so.  The  topics  for  both  these,  we  know,  are  brought  from  Scripture 
and  reason.  Upon  the  former,  I wish  it  were  often  practised  to  in- 
struct the  hearers  in  the  limits,  extent  and  compass  of  every  duty  ; 
which  requires  a good  deal  of  skill  and  judgment;  the  other  branch 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


125 


but  he  must  have  great  abilities  and  experience  to  make  him 
so.^  On  the  one  hand,  he  must  be  perfectly  acquainted  with 
the  force  of  Scripture  expressions ; on  the  other,  he  must  un- 
derstand the  capacity  of  those  to  whom  he  preaches,  arid 
adapt  himseJf  to  it.  Now  this  requires  a solid  knowledge, 
and  great  discernment.  Preachers  speak  every  day  to  people 
of  the  Scripture,  the  church,  the  Mosaic  law,  the  gospel ; of 
sacrifices;  of  Moses  and  Aaron,  and  Melchisedec;  of  the 
prophets  and  apostles ; but  there  is  not  sufficient  care  taken 
to  instruct  the  people  in  the  true  meaning  of  these  things, 
and  in  the  characters  of  those  holy  persons.  One  might  fol- 


is,  1 think,  not  so  difficult.  But  what  I would  offer  upon  both  is  this, 
that  it  seems  to  be  in  the  power  of  a reasonable  clergyman,  if  he  will 
be  at  the  pains,  to  make  the  most  ignorant  man  comprehend  what  is 
his  duty,  and  convince  him  by  arguments  drawn  to  the  level  of  his 
understanding,  that  he  ought  to  perform  it. — Swift. 

^ At  the  bar,  in  the  senate,  on  the  bench  of  justice,  and  in  the  chair 
of  State,  it  is  admitted  that  a sound  and  cultivated  understanding  is 
necessary.  Shall  a weak,  honest  man  then,  be  deemed  adequate  to 
the  discharge  of  duties  which  made  the  chiefest  of  the  apostles  ex- 
claim, “ who  is  sufficient  for  these  things.^'’  An  illiterate  physician 
injures  our  health,  an  unskilful  advocate  sacrifices  our  money,  a 
weak  general  frustrates  a campaign.  What  then  An  incompetent 
spiritual  guide  endangers  ' our  souls.  Talent  and  science  are  far,  far 
less  necessary  to  the  emperor.,  than  to  the  preacher.  The  former  may 
do  his  business  by  proxy  ; or  if  not  done,  still  only  temporal  interests 
suffer.  But  the  preacher’s  work  is  to  be  done  by  himself.,  and  if  done 
unskilfully,  the  evil  is  irreparable  and  eternal.  Next  to  piety,  he 
needs  sound,  practical  good  sense.  He  needs  this,  among  a thousand 
reasons,  to  preserve  him  from  mistaking  affectation  of  originality,  for 
great  genius  ; rhapsody,  for  eloquence  ; and  turgid  declamation,  for 
powerful  instruction.  To  secure  the  respect  of  intelligent  hearers, 
he  needs  a deep  and  steady  judgment,  and  a thorough  knowledge  of 
men.  Erasmus,  who  has  been  regarded  as  a sort  of  oracle  on  this 
subject,  says  ; “ It  is  not  enough  to  know  what  should  be  spoken, 
without  knowing  when,  to  whom,  how,  with  what  words,  in  what 
order,  with  what  ornament,  with  wdiat  action.”  God  forbid,  that 
talent  or  learning  should  be  exalted  at  the  expense  of  piety.  “ Let 
the  collected  wisdom  of  Greece  and  Rome  bow  before  the  cross.  At 
the  altar  of  God  we  wmuld  kindle  the  torch  of  science,  and  when 
kindled  let  it  be  quenched  without  scruple,  if  it  does  not,  like  the  star 
of  Bethlehem,  conduct  to  the  Saviour.”  But  surely,  he  wull  be  most 
likely  to  be  an  able  instructor,  who  is  himself  wise  and  well  instructed. 
With  a good  understanding,  replenished  by  extensive  reading,  he 
can  make  his  knowledge  of  languages,  of  oriental  antiquities  and 
usages,  philosophy,  logic,  history,  criticism  and  eloquence,  all  tribu- 
tary to  the  grand  purpose  of  explaining  and  enforcing  the  sacred 
truths  of  the  bible. — Dr.  Porter. 

11^ 


126 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


low  some  preachers  twenty  years,  without  getting  sufficient 
knowledge  of  religion. 

B,  Do  you  think  that  people  are  really  ignorant  of  those 
things  you  mentioned. 

C.  For  my  part  I believe  they  are,  and  that  few  or  none 
understand  them  enough  to  receive  any  benefit  from  sermons. 

jB.  That  may  be  true  of  the  lowest  rank  of  people. 

C,  Well ; ought  not  they  to  be  instructed  as  well  as  others  ? 
Do  not  they  make  up  the  bulk  of  mankind? 

A,  The  truth  is,  persons  of  rank  and  fashion  have  but  lit- 
tle more  knowledge  of  religion  than  the  common  people. 
There  are  always  three  fourth  parts  of  an  ordinary  audience, 
who  do  not  know  those  first  principles  of  religion,  in  which 
the  preacher  supposes  every  one  to  be  fully  instructed. 

B,  Would  you  then  have  him  explain  the  catechism  in  his 
sermons  to  a polite  congregation  ? 

A,  I grant  there  is  a due  regard  to  be  had  to  an  audience, 
and  discretion  to  be  used  in  adapting  a discourse  to  their 
capacity.  But  still,  without  giving  the  least  offence,  a preach- 
er might  remind  the  most  discerning  hearers  of  those  passa- 
ges of  the  sacred  history,  which  explain  the  origin  and  in- 
stitution of  holy  things.  This  way  of  having  recourse  to  the 
first  foundations  of  religion,  would  be  so  far  from  seeming 
low,  that  it  would  give  most  discourses  that  force  and  beauty 
which  they  generally  want.  This  is  particularly  true  with 
regard  to  the  mysteries  of  religion  ; for  the  hearers  can  never 
be  instructed,  nor  persuaded,  if  you  do  not  trace  things  back 
to  their  source.  For  example,  how  can  you  make  them  un- 
derstand what  the  church  .says,  after  St.  Paul,i  that  Jesus 
Christ  is  our  Passover,  if  you  do  not  explain  to  them  the 
Jewish  Passover,  which  was  appointed  to  be  a perpetual 
memorial  of  their  deliverance  from  Egypt,  and  to  typify  a 
more  important  redemption  that  was  reserved  for  the  Messiah. 
It  is  for  this  reason  I said,  that  almost  everything  in  religion 
is  historical.  And  if  preachers  would  have  a full  knowledge 
of  this  truth,  they  must  be  very  conversant  in  the  Scripture. 

B.  You  must  excuse  my  interrupting  you  on  this  subject ; 
Sir,  you  told  us  in  the  morning,  that  the  Scriptures  are  elo- 
quent, and  I was  glad  to  hear  you  say  so.  Let  me  in- 
treat you  to  show  us  how  we  may  discern  the  beauties  of 
Scripture,  and  in  what  its  eloquence  consists.  The  Latin 


] Cor.  5:  7. 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


127 


Bible  seems  to  me  most  vulgar  and  inaccurate.  I see  no 
delicacy  in  it.  What  is  it,  then,  that  you  so  much  admire? 

A,  The  Latin  is  only  a literal  version,  in  w^hich,  out  of 
respect  to  the  original,  there  are  many  Greek  and  Hebrew 
phrases  retained.  Do  you  despise  Homer  because  he  has 
been  sorrily  translated  into  French? 

B,  But  the  Greek  itself,  (which  is  the  original  language  of 
the  New  Testament,)  appears  to  me  very  coarse  and  un- 
polite. 

A.  The  apostles  were  not  acquainted  with  the  genuine 
Greek,  but  used  that  corrupted  kind  which  prevailed  among 
the  Hellenistical  Jews.  For  this  reason  St.  Paul  says,^  ‘I 
am  rude  in  speech,  but  not  in  knowledge.’  It  is  very  obvi- 
ous that  the  apostle  here  only  meant,  he  was  not  a master  of 
the  Greek  tongue,  though  he  solidly  explained  the  doctrine 
of  the  Holy  Scripture. 

C,  Had  not  the  apostles  the  gift  of  speaking  unknown 
tongues  ? 

A.  Undoubtedly  ; and  they  even  conveyed  that  gift  to  great 
numbers  of  their  illiterate  converts.  But  as  for  the  languages 
that  the  apostles  had  learned  in  a natural  way,  we  have  rea- 
son to  believe  that  the  Spirit  of  God  permitted  them  to  speak 
as  they  did  before.  St.  Paul,  who  was  a citizen  of  Tarsus, 
in  Cilicia,  naturally  spoke  the  corrupted  Greek  used  among 
the  Jews  there ; and  we  find  that  this  is  the  language  he 
wrote  in.  St.  Luke  seems  to  have  understood  Greek  a little 
better. 

C.  But  I always  thought  that  in  the  passage  you  mention- 
ed, St.  Paul  gave  up  all  pretences  to  oratory,  and  regarded 
nothing  but  the  simplicity  of  the  evangelical  doctrine.  Nay, 
I have  heard  several  persons  of  worth  and  good  judgment 
affirm,  that  the  Holy  Scripture  is  not  eloquent.  St.  Jerome 
was  punished  for  being  disgusted  at  the  simplicity  of  Scrip- 
ture, and  liking  Tully  better.  St.  Austin  (in  his  Confes- 
sions) seems  to  have  fallen  into  the  same  fault.  Did  not  God 
intend  to  try  our  faith  by  the  obscurity,  and  even  by  the  low- 
ness of  the  Scripture  style,  as  well  as  by  the  poverty  of  our 
Redeemer  ? 

A.  You  seem,  Sir,  to  carry  this  point  too  far.  Whom  do 
you  choose  to  believe,  St.  Jerome  when  he  was  punished  for 
having  followed  his  youthful  studies  too  closely  in  his  retreat, 
or  St.  Jerome  when  he  had  made  the  greatest  progress  both 


' 2 Cor.  11:  16. 


128  DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 

in  sacred  and  profane  learning,  and,  in  an  epistle  to  Pauli- 
nus,  invited  him  to  study  the  Scripture,  assuring  him  that 
he  would  find  more  charms  in  the  prophets  than  he  had  dis- 
covered in  the  heathen  poets?  Or,  was  St.  Austin’s  judg- 
ment belter  in  his  youth,  when  the  seeming  meanness  of  the 
sacred  style  disgusted  him,  than  when  he  composed  his  books 
of  the  Christian  Doctrine  ? There  he  often  says,  that  St. 
Paul  was  powerfully  persuasive,  and  that  the  torrent  of  his 
eloquence  must  be  perceived  by  the  most  inattentive  reader. 
He  adds,  that  in  the  apostle,  wisdom  did  not  seek  after  the 
the  beauty  of  language,  but  that  the  beauties  of  language  of- 
fered themselves,  and  attended  his  wisdom.  He  quotes  rrta- 
ny  lofty  passages  of  his  epistles,  wherein  he  shows  all  the  art 
and  address  of  the  heathen  orators  far  outdone.  St.  Austin 
excepts  only  two  things  in  this  comparison;  he  says,  that 
these  orators  studied  the  ornaments  of  eloquence,  but  that 
the  beauties  of  oratory  naturally  followed  St.  Paul,  and  others 
of  the  sacred  writers.  And  then  he  owns  that  he  did  not  suf- 
ficiently understand  the  delicacies  of  the  Greek  tongue,  to  be 
a competent  judge,  whether  there  be  the  same  numbers  and 
cadence  of  periods  in  the  sacred  text,  that  we  meet  with  in 
profane  authors.  I forgot  to  tell  you  that  he  quotes  that  pas- 
sage of  the  prophet  Amos  which  begins  thus,  ‘ Wo  to  them 
that  are  at  ease  in  Zion,  and  trust  in  the  mountain  of  Sama- 
ria,’^ and  assures  us  that  in  this  place  the  prophet  has  sur- 
passed everything  that  is  sublime  in  the  heathen  orators. 

C.  But  how  do  you  understand  these  words  of  St.  Paul,^ 
‘‘My  speech  and  rny  preaching  was  not  with  the  enticing 
(persuasive)  words  of ’man’s  wisdom  ?”  Does  he  not  tell  the 
Corinthians  that  he  came  not  to  preach  Christ  to  them,  with 
the  sublimity  of  discourse  and  of  wisdom  , that  he  “ knew 
nothing  among  them  but  .Tesus,  and  him  crucified  that  his 
preaching  was  founded,  not  upon  the  persuasive  language  of 
human  wisdom  and  learning,  but  upon  the  sensibJe  effects  of 
the  Spirit  and  the  power  of  God;  to  the  end  (as  he  adds) 
“ that  their  faith  should  not  depend  upon  the  wisdom  of  men, 
but  on  the  power  of  God  ?”  What  is  the  meaning  of  these 
words.  Sir  ? What  stronger  expressions  could  tiie  apostle 
use  to  condemn  this  art  of  persuasion  that  you  would  estab- 
lish ? For  my  part,  I freely  own  that  at  first  I was  glad  when 
you  censured  all  those  afiiected  ornaments  of  discourse  that 


1 Ch.  vi. 


2 1 Cor.  11:  4. 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


129 


vain  declaimers  are  so  fond  of,  but  the  sequel  of  your  scheme 
does  not  answer  the  pious  beginning  of  it.  I find  that  you 
would  still  make  preaching  a human  art,  and  banish  apostoli- 
cal simplicity  from  the  pulpit. 

A,  Though  you  judge  very  unfavorably  of  my  esteem  for 
eloquence,  I am  not  dissatisfied  at  the  zeal  with  which  you 
censure  it.  However,  Sir,  let  us  endeavor  to  understand  one 
another  aright.  There  are  several  worthy  persons  who  judge 
with  you,  that  eloquent  preaching  is  repugnant  to  the  simpli- 
city of  the  gospel.  But  when  we  have  mutually  explained 
our  sentiments,  perhaps  they  may  be  found  to  agree.  What 
then  do  you  mean  by  simplicity  ? And  what  do  you  call  elo- 
quence ? 

C.  By  simplicity,  I mean  a discourse  without  any  artifice 
or  magnificence.  By  eloquence,  I mean  a discourse  full  of 
art  and  ornaments. 

A.  When  you  require  an  artless,  simple  discourse,  would 
you  have  it  without  order  and  connection,  without  solid  and 
convincing  proofs,  and  without  a proper  method  for  instruct- 
ing the  ignorant  ? Would  you  have  a preacher  say  nothing 
that  is  pathetic,  and  never  endeavor  to  affect  the  heart  ? 

C.  Far  from  it ; I would  have  a discourse  that  both  in- 
structs and  moves  people. 

A,  That  would  make  it  eloquent ; for  we  have  seen  before, 
that  eloquence  is  the  art  of  instructing  and  persuading  men 
by  moving  their  passions. 

C.  I grant  that  preachers  ought  to  convince  and  affect 
their  hearers,  but  I would  have  them  to  do  it  without  art,  by 
an  apostolical  simplicity. 

A.  The  more  artless  and  natural  such  a convincing,  per- 
suasive eloquence  is,  it  must  be  the  more  powerful.  But 
let  us  inquire  whether  the  art  of  persuasion  be  incon- 
sistent with  the  simplicity  of  the  gospel  ? What  mean  you 
by  art  ? 

C.  I mean  a system  of  rules  that  men  have  invented,  and 
usually  observe  in  their  discourses,  to  make  them  more  beau- 
tiful, elegant  and  pleasing. 

A,  If  by  art  you  only  mean  this  invention  to  render  a dis- 
course more  handsome  and  polished  in  order  to  please  peo- 
ple, I will  not  dispute  with  you  about  words,  but  will  readily 
acknowledge  that  this  art  ought  not  to  be  admitted  into  ser- 
mons; for,  (as  we  agreed  before,)  this  vanity  is  unworthy  of 
eloquence,  and  far  more  unbecoming  the  sacred  function. 


130  DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 

This  is  the  very  point  about  which  I reasoned  so  much  with 
Mr.  B.  But  if  by  art  and  eloquence,  you  mean  what  the 
most  judicious  writers  among  the  ancients  understood,  we 
must  then  set  a just  value  upon  eloquence. 

C.  What  did  they  understand  by  it? 

A.  According  to  them  the  art  of  eloquence  comprehends 
those  means,  that  wise  reflection  and  experience  have  disco- 
vered, to  render  a discourse  proper  to  persuade  men  of  the 
truth,  and  to  engage  them  to  love  and  obey  it.  And  this  is 
what  you  think  every  preacher  should  be  able  to  do.  For 
did  you  not  say  that  you  approved  of  order,  and  a right  man- 
ner of  instruction  ; solidity  of  reasoning,  and  pathetic  move- 
ments ; I mean  such  as  can  touch  and  affect  people’s  hearts  ? 
Now  this  is  what  I call  eloquence;  you  may  give  it  what 
name  you  please. 

C.  Now  I comprehend  your  notion  of  eloquence  ; and  I 
cannot  but  acknowledge  that  such  a manly,  grave,  serious 
manner  of  persuasion  would  much  become  the  pulpit,  and 
that  it  seems  even  necessary  to  instruct  people  with  suc- 
cess. But  how  do  you  understand  those  words  of  St.  Paul 
that  I quoted  before  ? Do  they  not  expressly  condemn  elo- 
quence ? 

A.  In  order  to  explain  the  apostle’s  words,  lef  me  ask  you  a 
few  questions. 

C.  As  many  as  you  please,  Sir. 

A.  Is  it  not  true  that  the  apostle  argues  with  wonderful 
strength  in  his  epistles?  Does  he  not  reason  finely  against 
the  heathen  philosophers,  and  the  Jews,  in  his  epistle  to  the 
Romans  ? Is  there  not  great  force  in  what  he  says  concern- 
ing the  inability  of  the  Mosaic  law  to  justify  men  ? 

C.  Certainly. 

A.  Is  there  not  a chain  of  solid  reasoning  in  his  epistle  to 
the  Hebrews,  about  the  insufficiency  of  the  ancient  sacri- 
fices: the  rest  that  David  promised  to  the  children  of  God, 
besides  that  which  the  Israelites  enjoyed  in  Palestine  after 
Joshua’s  days;  concerning  the  order  of  Aaron,  and  that  of 
Melchisedec;  and  the  spiritual  and  eternal  covenant  that  be- 
hoved to  succeed  the  carnal  and  earthly  one,  which  was  es- 
tablished by  the  mediation  of  Moses  for  a time  only  ? Are  not 
the  apostle’s  arguments  on  these  several  subjects  very  strong 
and  conclusive  ?i 


1 The  eloquence  of  St.  Paul,  in  most  of  his  speeches  andargumen 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


131 


C.  I think  they  are. 

A.  When  St.  Paul,  therefore,  disclaimed  the  use  of  ‘‘  the 
persuasive  words  of  man’s  wisdom,”  he  did  not  mean  to  con- 
demn true  wisdom,  and  the  force  of  reasoning. 

C.  That  appears  plainly  from  his  own  example. 

A.  Why  then  do  you  think  that  he  meant  to  condemn  solid 
eloquence,  any  more  than  true  wisdom  ? 

C.  Because  he  expressly  rejects  eloquence  in  that  passage, 
which  I desired  you  to  explain. 

A,  But  doth  he  not  likewise  disclaim  wisdom?  The  place 
seems  to  be  more  express  against  wisdom,  and  human  rea- 
soning, than  against  eloquence.  And  yet  he  himself  reason- 
ed frequently,  and  was  very  eloquent.  You  grant  that  he  ar- 
gued well,  and  St.  Austin  assures  you  that  the  apostle  was  an 
orator.  > 

C,  You  plainly  point  out  the  difficulty,  but  you  do  not  an- 
swer it.  Pray,  show  us  how  it  is  to  be  solved. 

A.  St.  Paul  reasoned  much,  he  persuaded  effectually,  so 
that  he  was  really  an  excellent  philosopher  and  an  orator. 
But  as  he  tells  us  in  the  place  you  quoted,  his  preaching  was 
not  founded  on  human  reasoning,  nor  on  the  art  of  persua- 
sion. It  was  a ministry  of  divine  institution,  that  owed  its 
efficacy  to  God  alone.i  The  conversion  of  the  whole  world 


tations,  bears  a very  great  resemblance  to  that  of  Demosthenes.  Some 
important  point  being  always  uppermost  in  his  view,  he  often  leaves 
his  subject,  and  flies  from  it  with  brave  irregularity,  and  as  unexpect- 
edly again  returns  to  his  subject,  when  one  would  imagine  that  he 
had  entirely  lost  sight  of  it.  For  instance,  in  his  defence  before  king 
Agrippa,  Chap,  xxvi.,  when,  in  order  to  wipe  off  the  aspersions 
thrown  upon  him  by  the  Jews,  that  he  was  a turbulent  and  seditious 
person.,  he  sets  out  with  clearing  his  character,  proving  the  integrity 
of  his  morals,  and  his  inoffensive,  unblamable  behavior,  as  one  who 
hoped,  by  those  means,  to  attain  that  happiness  of  another  life  for 
which  the  twelve  tribes  served  God  continually  in  the  temple  ; on  a 
sudden  he  drops  the  continuation  of  his  defence,  and  cries  out,  “ Why 
should  it  be  thought  a thing  incredible  with  you,  that  God  should 
raise  the  dead  ?”  It  might  be  reasonably  expected,  that  this  would 
be  the  end  of  his  argument;  but  by  flying  to  ;t,  in  so  quick  and  unex- 
pected a transition.,  he  catches  his  audience  before  they  are  aware, 
and  strikes  dumb  his  enemies,  though  they  will  not  be  convinced. 
And  this  point  being  once  carried,  h(‘  comes  about  again  as  unexpect- 
edly, by,  / i/mwgAi,  etc.,  and  goes  on  with  his  defence,  till  it 

brings  him  again  to  the  same  point,  of  the  Resurrection,  in  verse  23. 
— Smith's  Longinus. 

' On  the  one  hand,  it  deserves  attention,  that  the  most  eminent  and 


132 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


was,  according  to  the  ancient  prophecies  to  be  the  great  and 
standing  miracle  of  the  Christian  religion.  This  was  the 
kingdom  of  God  that  came  from  heaven,  and  was  to  convert 
and  reduce  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  to  the  worship  and 
service  of  the  true  God.  Jesus  Christ  crucified,  by  his  being 
declared  to  them,  was  to  draw  them  all  to  himself,  merely  by 
the  power  of  his  cross.  The  philosophers  had  reasoned  and 
disputed,  without  converting  either  themselves  or  others. 
The  Jews  had  been  intrusted  with  a law  that  showed  them 
their  miseries,  but  could  not  relieve  them.  All  mankind 
were  convinced  of  the  general  disorder  and  corruption  that 
reigned  among  them.  Jesus  Christ  came  with  his  cross,  that 
is,  he  came  poor,  humble  and  suffering  for  us.  To  silence 
our  vain,  presumptuous  reason,  he  did  not  argue  like  the  phi- 
losophers, but  he  determined  with  authority.  By  his  mira- 
cles, and  his  grace,  he  showed  that  he  was  above  all.  That 
he  might  confound  the  false  wisdom  of  men,  he  sets  before 
them  the  seeming  folly  and  scandal  of  his  cross,  that  is,  the 
example  of  his  profound  humiliation.  That,  which  mankind 
reckoned  folly, ^ and  at  which  they  were  most  offended,  was 
the  very  thing,  that  should  convert  and  lead  them  to  God. 
They  wanted  to  be  cured  of  their  pride,  and  their  excessive 
love  of  sensible  objects,  and  to  affect  them  the  more,  God 
showed  them  his  Son  crucified.  The  apostles  preached  him, 
and  walked  in  his  steps.  They  had  not  recourse  to  any  hu- 
man means,  neither  to  philosophy,  nor  rhetoric,  nor  policy. 


successful  preachers  of  the  gospel  in  different  communities,  a Brain- 
erd,  a Baxter,  and  a Schwartz,  have  been  the  most  conspicuous  for  a 
simple  dependence  upon  spiritual  aid ; and,  on  the  other,  that  no  suc- 
cess whatever  has  attended  the  ministrations  of  those  by  whom  this 
doctrine  has  been  either  neglected  or  denied.  They  Jiave  met  with 
such  a rebuke  of  their  presumption,  in  the  total  failure  of  their  efforts 
that  none  will  contend  for  the  reality  of  divine  interposition,  as  far 
as  theij  are  concerned;  for  when  has  the  arm  of  the  Lord  been  reveal- 
ed to  those  pretended  teachers  of  Christianity,  who  believe  there  is 
no  such  arm  ? We  must  leave  them  to  labor  in  a field,  respecting 
which  God  has  commanded  the  clouds  not  to  rain  upon  it.  As  if 
conscious  of  this,  of  late  they  have  turned  their  efforts  into  a new 
channel,  and,  despairing  of  the  conversion  of  sinners,  have  confined 
themselves  to  the  seduction  of  the  faithful ; in  which,  it  must  be  con- 
fessed, they  have  acted  in  a manner  perfectly  consistent  with  their 
principles  ; the  propagation  of  heresy  requiring,  at  least,  no  divine 
assistance. — Hall  on  the  discouragements  and  supports  of  the  Christian 
ministry. 

1 ICor.  1:23,25. 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE.  133 

nor  wealth,  nor  authority.  God  would  have  the  sole  glory  of 
his  work,  and  the  success  of  it,  to  depend  entirely  on  himself; 
he  therefore  chose  what  is  weak  and  rejected  what  is  strong,, 
in  order  to  display  his  power  in  the  most  sensible  manner. 
He  brought  all  out  of  nothing  in  the  conversion  of  the  world; 
as  well  as  at  the  creation  of  it.  That  work  therefore  had  this 
divine  character  stamped  upon  it,  that  it  was  not  founded  up- 
on anything  that  the  world  admired  or  valued.  It  would  on- 
ly have  weakened  and  frustrated  the  wonderful  power  of  the' 
cross,  (as  St.  Paul  says,^)  to  ground  the  preaching  of  the- 
gospel  upon  natural  means.  It  was  necessary  that  without 
human  help,  the  gospel  should  of  itself  open  people’s  hearts,, 
and  by  that  prodigious  efficacy  show  mankind  that  it  came- 
from  God.  Thus  was  human  wisdom  confounded  and  re- 
jected. Now,  what  must  we  conclude  from  hence?  This 
only ; that  the  conversion  of  the  nations,  and  the  establish- 
ment of  the  Christian  church,  were  not  owing  to  the  learned! 
reasonings  and  persuasive  words  of  man’s  wisdom.  It  does 
not  imply  that  there  was  no  eloquence,  nor  wisdom  in  seve- 
ral of  those  who  first  preached  the  gospel ; but  only,  that 
they  did  not  depend  on  this  eloquent  wisdom,  nor  did  they 
study  it  as  a thing  that  was  to  give  an  efficacy  to  their  doc- 
trine. It  was  founded,  (as  the  apostle  tells  us,^)  nut  upon 
the  persuasive  discourses  of  human  philosophy,  but  solely  up^- 
on  the  effects  of  the  Spirit  and  the  power  of  God  ; that  is,, 
upon  the  miracles  that  struck  the  eyes  and  minds  of  men,, 
and  upon  the  inward  operation  of  the  divine  grace. 

C,  According  to  your  reasoning,  then,  they  make  void  the- 
efficacy  of  our  Saviour’s  cross,  who  ground  their  preaching 
upon  human  wisdom  and  eloquence. 

A.  Undoubtedly.  The  ministry  of  the  word  is  entirely 
built  upon  faith,  and  the  preachers  of  it  ought  to  pray  and  pu- 
rify their  hearts,  and  expect  all  their  success  from  heaveUo. 
They  should  arm  themselves  with  ‘ the  sword  of  the  Spirit, 
which  is  the  word  of  God,’  and  not  depend  on  their  own  abil- 
ities.3  This  is  the  necessary  preparation  for  preaching  the- 

1 1 Cor.  1:  17.  2 1 Cor.  2:  4. 

^ The  preacher  peculiarly  needs  assistance  from  heaven.  He  can 
neither  rely  on  his  own  talents,  nor  trust  his  own  heart.  He  cannot 
rely  on  his  fellow-men.  Whither  then  shall  he  look?  Who  shall 
make  him  able,  or  faithful,  or  successful  in  his  work  ? Who  shall 
open  to  him  the  treasures  of  divine  truth  ? Who  shall  give  him  ac- 
cess to  the  hearts  of  his  hearers,  and  enable  him  to  speak  in  demon?' 

12 


134  DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE, 

gospel.  But  though  the  inward  fruit  and  success  of  it  must 
be  ascribed  to  grace  alone,  and  the  efficacy  of  God’s  word, 
there  are  yet  some  things  that  man  is  to  do  on  his  part. 

C.  Hitherto  you  have  talked  very  solidly ; but  I see  plain- 
ly you  are  now  returning  to  your  first  opinion. 

A,  I did  not  change  it.  Do  not  you  believe  that  the  work 
of  our  salvation  depends  upon  God’s  grace  ? 

C.  Yes;  it  is  an  article  of  faith. 

A.  You  own,  however,  that  we  ought  to  use  great  pru- 
dence in  choosing  a right  station  and  conduct  in  life,  and  in 
avoiding  dangerous  temptations.  Now,  do  we  make  void 
the  grace  of  God,  and  its  efficacy,  by  watching  and  prayer, 
and  a prudent  circumspection  ? Certainly  not.  We  owe  all 
to  God,  and  yet  he  obliges  us  to  comply  with  an  external  or- 
der of  human  means.  The  apostles  did  not  study  the  vain 
pomp  and  trifling  ornaments  of  the  heathen  orators.  They 
did  not  fall  into  the  subtile  reasonings  of  the  philosophers, 
who  made  all  to  depend  upon  those  airy  speculations  in  which 
they  lost  themselves.  The  apostles  only  preached  Jesus 
Christ  with  all  the  force,  and  magnificent  simplicity  of  the 
scripture  language.  It  is  true  they  had  no  need  of  any  pre- 
paration for  their  ministry,  because  the  Spirit,  who  descend- 
ed upon  them  in  a sensible  manner,  supplied  them  with  words 
in  preaching  the  gospel.  The  difference  then  betwixt  the 
apostles  and  their  successors  in  the  ministry  is,  that  these, 
not  being  miraculously  inspired  like  the  apostles,  have 
need  to  prepare  themselves,  and  to  fill  their  minds  with 
the  doctrine  and  spirit  of  the  Scripture,  to  form  their  dis- 
courses. But  this  preparation  should  never  lead  them  to 
preach  in  a more  artless  manner  than  the  apostles.  Would 


stration  of  the  Spirit,  and  with  power  ? Who  shall  soothe  the  anxie- 
ties that  agitate  his  bosom,  cheer  his  trembling  spirit,  and  guide  his 
footsteps,  in  seasons  of  despondence  ? Who  shall  give  him  that  know- 
ledge of  his  own  heart,  that  control  of  his  temper  and  actions,  that 
meekness,  fortitude  and  exemplary  holiness,  which  become  his  sa- 
cred olRce  ? In  short,  who  shall  secure  him  against  falling  into  foul 
immorality,  or  fatal  apostacy  from  the  truth  ? Blessed  be  God,  that 
a poor  worm  may  ask  and  receive  help  from  him,  in  whom  is  ever- 
lasting strength.  Weakness  itself  may  look  up  with  courage  to  the 
throne  of  grace,  and  venture  forward  in  the  greatest  work,  relying 
on  a Saviour’s  all-sufficient  aid.  Yes,  blessed  be  God,  that  the  hum- 
ble minister,  while  he  feels  himself  to  be  less  than  nothing,  may  yet 
say  without  presumption,  “ I can  do  all  things,  through  Christ  which 
strengtheneth  me.” — Dr.  Porter. 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


135 


you  not  be  satisfied,  if  preachers  used  no  more  ornaments  in 
their  sermons  than  St.  Peter,  St.  Paul,  St.  James,  St.  Jude, 
and  St.  John  did  ? 

C.  I think  I ought  to  require  no  more.  And  I must  con- 
fess that  since  (as  you  say)  eloquence  consists  chiefly  in  the 
order,  force,  and  propriety  of  the  words  by  which  men  are 
persuaded  and  moved,  it  does  not  give  me  so  much  offence 
as  it  did.  I always  reckoned  eloquence  to  be  an  art  that  is 
inconsistent  with  the  simplicity  of  the  gospel. 

A,  There  are  two  sorts  of  people  that  have  this  notion  of 
it ; the  false  orators,  who  are  widely  mistaken  in  seeking  af- 
ter eloquence  amidst  a vain  pomp  of  words  ; and  some  pious 
persons,  who  have  no  great  depth  of  knowledge ; but  who, 
though  out  of  humility  they  avoid  that  false  rhetoric,  which 
consists  in  a gaudy,  ostentatious  style,  yet  themselves  aim 
at  true  eloquence,  by  striving  to  persuade  and  move  their 
hearers. 

C.  I now  understand  your  notions  exactly ; let  us  now  re- 
turn to  the  eloquence  of  the  Scripture. 

A,  In  order  to  perceive  it,  nothing  is  more  useful  than  to 
have  a just  taste  of  the  ancient  simplicity  ; and  this  may  best 
be  obtained  by  reading  the  most  ancient  Greek  authors.^  I 
say  the  most  ancient;  for  those  Greeks  whom  the  Romans 
so  justly  despised,  and  called  Graeculi,  were  altogether  de- 
generate. As  I told  you  before,  you  ought  to  be  perfectly  ac- 
quainted with  Homer,  Plato,  Xenophon,  and  the  other  earli- 
est writers.  After  that,  you  will  be  no  more  surprised  at  the 
plainness  of  the  scripture  style  ; for  in  them  you  will  find  al- 
most the  same  kind  of  customs,  the  same  artless  narrations, 
the  same  images  of  great  things,  and  the  same  movements. 
The  difference  between  them  upon  comparison  is  much  to 
the  honor  of  the  Scripture.  It  surpasses  them  vastly  in  na- 
tive simplicity,  liveliness  and  grandeur.  Homer  himself  nev- 
er reached  the  sublimity  of  Moses’  songs,  especially  the  last, 
which  all  the  Israelitish  children  were  to  learn  by  heart. 
Never  did  any  ode,  either  Greek  or  Latin,  come  up  to  the 
loftiness  of  the  Psalms.  That,  for  example,  which  begins 


' 'FivdeLKvvraL  (5’  ijiilv  ovrog  o avrjp  (IIAAT^2N),  ei  f3ov?.OL/Li£'d-a  fir)  kg- 
roXLyoypEtv,  (jg  Kai  uXkr)  ng  rrapa  ra  elprjfiiva  66dg  ettI  tu  vrprjTia  retvsi, 
Tloia  de  Kal  rig  avrr)  ; fj  tCjv  efnrpoG'S'ev  fiejaTitJv  avyypacpeov  kgI  'ttolt]- 
tC)v  fiL[ir)(jLg  re  Kal  ^r)7nx)GLg.  Kat  tovtov  ye,  (piATare,  arrpt^  ex^fi^- 
Tov  (jKoirov. — Longinus,  § xiii. 


136  DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 

thus;i  ‘‘The  mighty  God,  even  the  Lord  hath  spoken/’ 
surpasses  the  utmost  stretch  of  human  invention.  Neither 
Homer  nor  any  other  poet  ever  equalled  Isaiah^  describing 
the  majesty  of  God,  in  whose  sight  the  ‘ nations  of  the  earth 
are  as  the  small  dust,  yea,  less  than  nothing  and  vanity  / see- 
ing it  is  ‘ he  that  stretcheth  out  the  heavens  like  a curtain,  and 
spreadeth  them  out  as  a tent  to  dwell  im’  Sometimes  this 
prophet  has  all  the  sweetness  of  an  eclogue,  in  the  smiling 
images  he  gives  us  of  peace  ; and  sometimes  he  soars  so  high 
as  to  leave  everything  below  him.  What  is  there  in  antiqui- 
ty that  can  be  compared  to  the  Lamentations  of  Jeremiah, 
when  he  tenderly  deplores  the  miseries  of  his  country  ? or  to 
the  prophecy  of  Nahum,  when  he  foresees,  in  spirit,  the 
proud  Nineveh  fall  under  the  rage  of  an  invincible  army  ? 
We  fancy  that  we  see  the  army,  and  hear  the  noise  of  arms 
and  chariots.  Everything  is  painted  in  such  a lively  manner 
as  strikes  the  imagination.  The  prophet  far  outdoes  Homer. 
Read  likewise  Daniel  denouncing  to  Belshazzar  the  divine 
vengeance  ready  to  overwhelm  him ; and  try  if  you  can  find 
anything  in  the  most  sublime  originals  of  antiquity,  that  can 
be  compared  to  those  passages  of  sacred  writ.  As  for  the 
rest  of  Scripture,  every  portion  of  it  is  uniform  and  consis- 
tent ; every  part  bears  the  peculiar  character  that  becomes 
it;  the  history,  the  particular  detail  of  laws,  the  descriptions, 
the  vehement  and  pathetic  passages,  the  mysteries,  and  mor- 
al discourses  ; in  all  these  there  appears  a natural  and  beautiful 
variety.3  In  short,  there  is  as  great  a difference  between  the 


1 Psal.  50:  1—6. 

2 Isaiah,  40:  9 — 28.— —See  chapters,  xi.  and  xxxv.  Lam.  1:  1,2, 
16,20;  2:  1,8,  11,  12,  19,  20,  21;  3:39.  Nahum,  1:3,  5,  6’;  2: 
1,  3,  4,  8,  9,  10  ; 3:  3,  13,  17,  18.  Daniel,  chap.  5:  15—29. 

^ Any  reader  will  observe,  that  there  is  a poetical  air  in  the  predic- 
tions of  Balaam  in  the  twenty-third  chapter  of  Numbers^  and  that 
there  is  particularly  an  uncommon  grandeur  in  verse  19. 

‘‘  God  is  not  a man,  that  he  should  lie,'  neither  the  son  of  man,  that 
he  should  repent.  Hath  he  said,  and  shall  he  not  do  it } or,  hath  he 
spoken,  and  shall  he  not  make  it  good  V 

What  is  the  cause  of  this  grandeur  will  immediately  be  seen,  if  the 
sense  be  preserved,  and  the  words  thrown  out  of  interrogation  : 

“.God  is  not  man,  that  he  should  lie,  neither  the  son  of  man,  that 
he  should  repent.  What  he  hath  said,  he  will  do;  and  what  he  has 
spoken,  he  will  make  good.”  The  difference  is  so  visible,  that  it  is 
needless  to  enlarge  upon  it. 

How  artfully  does  St.  Paul,  in  Jicts^  xxvi.  transfer  bis  discourse 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


137 


heathen  poets  and  the  prophets,  as  there  is  between  a false 
enthusiasm  and  the  true.  The  sacred  writers,  being  truly 
inspired,  do  in  a sensible  manner  express  something  divine ; 
while  the  others,  striving  to  soar  above  themselves,  always 
show  human  weakness  in  their  loftiest  flights.  The  second 
book  of  Maccabees,  the  book  of  Wisdom,  especially  at  the 
end,  and  Ecclesiasticus  in  the  beginning,  discover  the  gau- 
dy, swelling  style  that  the  degenerate  Greeks  had  spread 
over  the  East,  where  their  language  was  established  with 
their  dominion.  But  it  would  be  in  vain  to  enlarge  upon  all 
these  particulars;  it  is  by  reading  that  you  must  discover  the 
truth  of  them. 

jB.  I long  to  set  about  it ; we  ought  to  apply  ourselves  to 
this  kind  of  study  more  than  we  do. 

C.  I easily  conceive  that  the  Old  Testament  is  written 
with  that  magnificence,  and  those  lively  images  you  speak  of. 
But  you  say  nothing  of  the  simplicity  of  Christ’s  words. 

A.  That  simplicity  of  style  is  entirely  according  to  the  an- 
cient taste.  It  is  agreeable  both  to  Moses  and  the  prophets, 
whose  expressions  Christ  often  uses.  But  though  his  lan- 
guage be  plain  and  familiar,  it  is  however  figurative  and  sub- 
lime in  many  places.  I could  easily  show  by  particular  in- 
stances, (if  we  had  the  books  here  to  consult,)  that  we  have 
not  a preacher  of  this  age,  who  is  so  figurative  in  his  most 
studied  sermons,  as  Jesus  Christ  was  in  his  most  popular 
discourses.  I do  not  mean  those  that  St.  John  relates,  where 
almost  everything  is  sensibly  divine ; I speak  of  his  most  fa- 
miliar discourses  recorded  by  the  other  evangelists.  The 
apostles  wrote  in  the  same  manner ; with  this  difference,  that 


from  Festiis  to  ^grippa.  In  ver.  26,  he  speaks  of  him  in  the  third 
person.  The  King  (says  he)  knoweth  of  these  things,  before  whom 
I also  speak  freely — Then  in  the  following,  he  turns  short  upon 
him  ; “ King  Agrippa,  believest  thou  the  prophets.^”  and  immediate- 
ly answers  his  own  question,  “ I know  that  thou  believest.”  The 
smoothest  eloquence,  the  most  insinuating  complaisance,  could  nev- 
er have  made  such  impression  on  Agrippa,  as  this  unexpected  and  pa- 
thetic address. 

To  these  instances  may  be  added  the  whole  xxxviii.  chapter  of 
Joh  ; where  we  behold  the  Almighty  Creator  expostulating  with  his 
creature,  in  terms  which  express  at  once  the  majesty  and  perfection 
of  the  one,  the  meanness  and  frailty  of  the  other.  There  we  see  how 
vastly  useful  the  figure  of  interrogation  is,  in  giving  us  a lofty  idea  of 
the  Deity,  while  every  question  awes  us  into  silence,  and  inspires  a 
sense  of  our  own  insufficiency. — Smith's  Longinus. 

12* 


138 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


Jesus  Christ  being  master  of  his  doctrine,  delivers  it  calmly. 
He  says  just  what  he  pleases^  and  speaks,  with  the  utmost  ea- 
siness, of  the  heavenly  kingdom  and  glory,  as  of  his  father’s 
house.^  All  those  exalted  things  that  astonish  us,  were  nat- 
ural and  familiar  to  him  ; he  was  born  there,  and  only  tells 
us  what  he  saw,^  as  he  himself  declares.  On  the  contrary, 
the  apostles^  sunk  under  the  weight  of  the  truths  that  were 
revealed  to  them ; they  want  words,  and  are  not  able  to  ex- 
press their  ideas.4.  Hence  flow  those  digressions  and  obscure 
passages  in  St.  Paul’s  writings,  and  those  transpositions  of 
his  thoughts,  which  show  his  mind  was  transported  wflth  the 
abundance  and  greatness  of  the  truths  that  offered  themselves 
to  his  attention.  All  this  irregularity  of  style  shows  that  the 
Spirit  of  God  forcibly  guided  the  minds  of  the  apostles.  But 
notwithstanding  these  little  disorders  of  their  style,  everything 
in  it  is  noble,  lively  and  moving.  As  for  St.  John’s  Revela- 
tion, we  find  in  it  the  same  grandeur  and  enthusiasm  that 
there  is  in  the  prophets.  The  expressions  are  ofttimes  the 
same,  and  sometimes  this  resemblance  of  style  gives  a mutu- 
al light  to  them  both.  You  see  therefore  that  the  eloquence 
of  Scripture  is  not  confined  to  the  books  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, but  is  likewise  to  be  found  in  the  New. 

C.  Supposing  the  Scripture  to  be  eloquent,  what  will  you 
conclude  from  it? 

A,  That  those  who  preach  it,  may  without  scruple  imitate, 
or  rather  borrow  its  eloquence. 

C.  We  find  that  preachers  do  choose  those  passages  they 
think  most  beautiful. 

A.  But  it  mangles  the  Scripture  thus  to  show  it  to  Chris- 
tians only  in  separate  passages.  And  however  great  the 
beauty  of  such  passages  may  be,  it  can  never  be  fully  per- 
ceived, unless  one  knows  the  connection  of  them,  for  every- 
thing in  Scripture  is  connected,  and  this  coherence  is  the 
most  great  and  wonderful  thing  to  be  seen  in  the  sacred  writ- 
ings. For  want  of  a due  knowledge  of  it,  preachers  mistake 


1 John,  14:  2.  3 Chap.  8:  38  ^ 2 Cor.  12:  2,  4,  7. 

4 Yet,  after  all,  there  is  often  found  in  the  apostolic  manner,  a sub- 
limity of  sentiment,  a pomp  of  description,  a clearness,  strength,  and 
brevity  of  precept,  a closeness  of  appeal,  a force  and  abruptness  of  in- 
terrogation, a simplicity  of  words,  and  pathos  of  address,  that  are  ad- 
mirable in  themselves,  and  worthy  the  imitation  of  every  preacher. — 
Fordyce^  Jlrt  of  Preaching, 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


139 


those  beautiful  passages,  and  put  upon  them  what  sense  they 
please.  They  content  themselves  with  some  ingenious  in- 
terpretations, which,  being  arbitrary,  have  no  force  to  per- 
suade men,  or  to  reform  their  manners. 

jB.  What  would  you  have  preachers  to  do?  Must  they  use 
only  the  language  of  Scripture  ? 

A.  I would  have  them,  at  least,  not  think  it  enough  to  join 
together  a few  passages  of  Scripture  that  have  no  real  con- 
nection. I would  have  them  explain  the  principles,  and  the 
series  of  the  Scripture  doctrine,  and  take  the  spirit,  the  style 
and  the  figures  of  it,  that  all  their  discourses  may  serve  to 
give  people  a right  understanding  and  true  relish  of  God’s 
word.  There  needs  no  more  to  make  preachers  eloquent ; 
for  by  doing  this,  they  would  imitate  the  best  model  of  an- 
cient eloquence. 

But  in  this  case  we  behoved,  (as  I said  before,)  to  ex- 
plain the  several  parts  of  Scripture  as  they  lie. 

A.  I would  not  confine  all  preachers  to  this.  One  might 
make  sermons  upon  the  Scripture  without  explaining  the  se- 
veral parts  of  it  as  they  lie.  But  it  must  be  owned  that 
preaching  would  be  quite  another  thing,  if,  according  to  an- 
cient custom,  the  sacred  books  were  thus  explained  to  the 
people  in  a connected,  judicious  manner.  Consider  what 
authority  a man  must  have,  who  should  say  nothing  from  his 
own  invention,  but  only  follow  and  explain  the  thoughts  and 
words  of  God.  Besides,  he  would  do  two  things  at  once. 
By  unfolding  the  truths  of  Scripture,  he  would  explain  the 
text,  and  accustom  the  people  to  join  always  the  sense  and 
the  letter  together.  What  advantage  must  they  not  reap,  if 
they  were  used  to  nourish  themselves  with  this  spiritual 
bread  ? An  audience,  who  had  heard  the  chief  points  of  the 
Mosaic  law  explained,  would  be  able  to  receive  far  more  be- 
nefit from  an  explication  of  the  truths  of  the  gospel,  than  the 
greatest  part  of  Christians  are  now.  The  preacher  we  spoke 
of  before,  has  this  failing  among  many  great  qualities,  that 
his  sermons  are  trains  of  fine  reasoning  about  religion,  but 
they  are  not  religion  itself.  We  apply  ourselves  too  much  to 
the  drawing  of  moral  characters,  and  inveighing  against  the 
general  disorders  of  mankind,  and  we  do  not  sufficiently  ex- 
plain the  principles  and  precepts  of  the  gospel. ^ 


^ A loose  and  indiscriminate  manner  of  applying  the  promises  and 
threatenings  of  the  gospel,  is  ill  judged  and  pernicious  j it  is  not  pos» 


140 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


C.  Preachers  choose  this  way,  because  it  is  far  easier  to 
declaim  against  the  follies  and  disorders  of  mankind,  than  to 
explain  the  fundamental  truths  and  duties  of  religion  judi- 


sible  to  conceive  a more  etFectual  method  of  depriving  the  sword  of  the 
Spirit  of  its  edge,  than  adopting  that  lax  generality  of  representation, 
which  leaves  its  hearer  nothing  to  apply,  presents  no  incentive  to  self- 
examination,  and  besides  its  utter  inefficiency,  disgusts  by  the  igno- 
rance of  human  nature,  or  the  disregard  to  its  best  interests,  it  infalli- 
bly betrays.  Without  descending  to  such  a minute  specification  of  cir- 
cumstances, as  shall  make  our  addresses  personal,  they  ought  unques- 
tionably to  be  characteristic,  that  the  conscience  of  the  audience  may 
feel  the  hand  of  the  preacher  searching  it,  and  every  individual  know 
where  to  class  himself.  The  preacher  who  aims  at  doing  good,  will 
endeavor,  above  all  things,  to  insulate  his  hearers,  to  place  each  of 
them  apart,  and  render  it  impossible  for  him  to  escape  by  losing  him- 
self in  the  crowd.  At  the  day  of  judgment,  the  attention  excited  by 
the  surrounding  scene,  the  strange  aspect  of  nature,  the  dissolution 
of  the  elements,  and  the  last  trump,  will  have  no  other  effect  than  to 
cause  the  reflections  of  the  sinner  to  return  with  a more  overwhelm- 
ing tide  on  his  own  character,  his  sentence,  his  unchanging  destiny ; 
and,  amid  the  innumerable  millions  who  surround  him,  he  will 
mourn  apart.  It  is  thus  the  Christian  minister  should  endeavor  to 
prepare  the  tribunal  of  conscience,  and  turn  the  eyes  of  every  one  of 
his  hearers  on  himself. — Hall  on  the  discouragements  and  supports  of 
the  Christian  ministry. 

If  I should  read  to  a sick  person  a learned  lecture  on  the  benefit  of 
health,  and  exhort  him  to  take  care  to  recover  it,  but  never  inquire 
into  the  nature  of  his  disease,  or  prescribe  proper  methods  and  medi- 
cines for  the  cure,  he  would  hardly  acquiesce  in  me  for  his  physician,  or 
resign  to  me  the  care  of  his  bodily  health.  Nor  is  it  a more  likely  way 
to  the  soul’s  health,  to  rest  in  mere  general  exhortations  to  holiness, 
without  distinctly  handling  the  several  branches  thereof  and  the  op- 
posite sins.  If  a man,  professing  physic,  should  administer  or  pre- 
scribe one  constant  medicine  for  fevers,  and  another  for  consumptions 
and  so  for  other  distempers,  without  considering  the  age,  constitu- 
tion, strength  and  way  of  living  of  his  patient,  and  not  vary  his  me- 
thod and  medicines  as  those  vary,  we  should  hardly  call  this  the  reg- 
ular practice  of  physic.  Nor  can  I think  this  general  and  undistin- 
guished way  will  be  more  safe,  or  likely  to  answer  its  end,  in  divini- 
ty than  in  medicine. — Jennings. 

We  do  not  warn  the  man  whose  house  is  on  fire,  by  the  abstract  as- 
surance that  “fire  is  dangerous;”  by  introducing  a third  person 
to  say,  “ Ae  is  in  danger;”  by  continually  adverting  to  those  no- 
ble public  institutions,  the  general  fire  insurance  companies.  Nor 
must  the  delegated  apostle  of  Christianity  fail  to  discriminate,  to  in- 
dividualize, to  strike  home,  to  draw  the  line  between  the  form  and 
spirit  of  religion  ; to  show  that  the  best  church  cannot  of  itself  sancti- 
fy those  who  enter  it ; ‘to  speak,’  as  old  Baxter  says,  ‘ like  a dying 
man,  to  dying  men ;’  to  ‘ warn,  rebuke,  exhort,’  like  one  who  expects 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


141 


ciously.  To  be  able  to  describe  the  corruptions  of  the  age, 
they  need  only  have  some  knowledge  of  men  and  things,  with 
proper  words  to  paint  them.  But  to  set  the  great  duties  of 
the  gospel  in  a just  light,  requires  an  attentive  meditation 
and  study  of  the  Holy  Scriptures.  There  are  but  few  preach- 
ers who  have  such  a solid,  comprehensive  knowledge  of  re- 
ligion as  can  enable  them  to  explain  it  clearly  to  others. 
Nay,  there  are  some  who  make  pretty  discourses,  and  yet 
could  not  catechise  the  people,  and  far  less  make  a good 
homily. 

A.  Very  true;  it  is  here  that  our  preachers  are  most  de- 
fective. Most  of  their  fine  sermons  contain  only  philosophi- 
cal reasonings.  Sometimes  they  preposterously  quote  Scrip- 
ture only  for  the  sake  of  decency  or  ornament,  and  it  is  not 
then  regarded  as  the  word  of  God,  but  as  the  invention  of 
men. 

C.  You  will  grant,  I hope,  that  the  labors  of  such  men 
tend  to  make  void  the  cross  of  Christ. 

A.  I give  them  up ; and  contend  only  for  the  eloquence 
of  Scripture,  which  evangelical  preachers  ought  to  imitate. 
So  that  we  are  agreed  on  this  point ; provided  you  will  not 
excuse  some  zealous  preachers,  who,  under  pretence  of  apos- 
tolical simplicity,  do  not  effectually  study  either  the  doctrine 
of  Scripture,  or  the  powerful  manner  of  persuasion  that  we 
are  taught  there.  They  imagine  that  they  need  only  bawl, 
and  speak  often  of  hell  and  the  devil.  Now  without  doubt  a 
preacher  ought  to  affect  people  by  strong,  and  sometimes 
even  by  terrible  images ; but  it  is  from  the  Scripture  that  he 
should  learn  to  make  powerful  impressions.  There  he  may 
clearly  discover  the  way  to  make  sermons  plain  and  popular, 
without  losing  the  force  and  dignity* they  ought  always  to 
have.  For  want  of  this  knowledge,  a preacher  oftentimes 
doth  but  stun  and  frighten  people,  so  that  they  remember  but 
few  clear  notions ; and  even  the  impressions  of  terror  they 
received  are  not  lasting.  This -mistaken  simplicity  that 
some  affect,  is  too  often  a cloak  for  ignorance ; and  at  best 
it  is  such  an  unedifying  manner  of  address,  as  cannot  be  ac- 
ceptable either  to  God  or  men.  Nothing  can  excuse  such 
homely  preachers,  but  the  sincerity  of  their  intentions.  They 
ought  to  have  studied  and  meditated  much  upon  the  word  of 


to  meet  his  congregation  next  at  the  bar  of  God.— CMstian 
server. 


142 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


God,  before  they  Undertook  to  preach.  A priest  who  under- 
stands the  Scripture  fully,  and  has  the  gift  of  speaking,  sup- 
ported by  the  authority  olf  his  function,  and  of  a good  life, 
might  make  excellent  discourses  without  great  preparation. 
For  one  speaks  easily  of  such  truths  as  make  a clear  and 
strong  impression  on  his  mind.  Now  above  all  things,  such 
a subject  as  religion  must  furnish  exalted  thoughts,  and  ex- 
cite the  noblest  sentiments,  and  this  is  the  design  of  elo- 
quence. But  a preacher  ought  to  speak  to  his  audience  as  a 
father  would  talk  to  his  children,  with  an  affectionate  ten- 
derness and  not  like  a declaimer,  pronouncing  an  ha- 


^ In  the  most  awful  denunciations  of  the  divine  displeasure,  an  air 
of  unaffected  tenderness  should  be  preserved,  that  while  with  un- 
sparing fidelity  we  declare  the  whole  counsel  of  God,  it  may  appear 
we  are  actuated  by  a genuine  spirit  of  compassion.  A hard  and  un- 
feeling manner  of  denouncing  the  threatenings  of  the  word  of  God, 
is  not  only  barbarous  and  inhuman,  but  calculated,  by  inspiring  dis- 
gust, to  rob  them  of  all  their  efficacy,  if  the  av/ful  part  of  our  mes- 
sage, which  may  be  styled  the  burden  of  the  Lord,  ever  fall  with  due 
weight  on  our  hearers,  it  will  be  when  it  is  delivered  with  a trembling 
hand  and  faltering  lips ; and  we  may  then  expect  them  to  realize  its 
solemn  import,  when  they  perceive  that  we  ourselves  are  ready  to 
sink  under  it.  “ Of  whom  I have  told  you  before,”  said  St.  Paul, 
“ and  now  tell  you  weeping,  that  they  are  enemies  of  the  cross  of 
Christ.”  What  force  does  that  affecting  declaration  derive  from 
these  tears  ! An  effectionate  manner  insinuates  itself  into  the  heart, 
renders  it  soft  and  pliable,  and  disposes  it  to  imbibe  the  sentiments  and 
follow  the  impulse  of  the  speaker.  Whoever  has  attended  to  the  ef- 
fect of  addresses  from  the  pulpit,  must  have  perceived  how  much  of 
their  impression  depends  upon  this  quality,  which  gives  to  sentiments 
cogiiparatively  trite,  a power  over  the  mind  beyond  what  the  most 
striking  and  original  conceptions  possess  without  it. — Hall  on  the  ells- 
couragements  and  suppoi'ts  of  the  Christian  ministry. 

There  is  another  strain  of  preaching,  which,  though  it  wears  the 
garb  of  zeal,  is  seldom  a proof  of  any  power  but  the  power  of  self ; I 
mean  angry  and  scolding  preaching.  The  Gospel  is  a benevolent 
scheme,  and  whoever  speaks  in  the  power  of  it,  will  assuredly  speak 
in  love.  In  the  most  faithful  rebukes  of  sin,  in  the  most  solemn  dec- 
larations of  God’s  displeasure  against  it,  a preacher  may  give  evi- 
dence of  a disposition  of  good-will  and  compassion  to  sinners,  and  as- 
suredly will,  if  he  speaks  under  the  influence  of  the  power  of  truth. 
If  we  can  indulge  invective  and  bitterness  in  the  pulpit,  we  know 
not  what  spirit  we  are  of;  we  are  but  gratifying  our  own  evil  tem- 
pers, under  the  pretence  of  a concern  for  the  cause  of  God  and  truth. 
A preacher  of  this  character,  instead  of  resembling  a priest  bearing 
in  his  censer  hallowed  fire  taken  from  God’s  altar,  may  be  compared 
to  the  madman  described  in  the  Proverbs,  who  scattereth  at  random 
fire-brands  and  arrows  and  death,  and  saith.  Am  not  I in  sport  ? 
Such  persons  may  applaud  their  own  faithfulness  and  courage,  and 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


143 


rangue  with  stiffness,  and  an  affected  delicacy.  It  were  to 
be  wished  indeed  that,  generally  speaking,  none  were  al- 
lowed to  feed  the  Christian  flocks  but  their  respective  shep- 
herds, who  ought  best  to  know  their  wants.  In  order  to 
this,  none  should  be  chosen  for  pastors,  but  such  as  have  the 
gift  of  preaching.  The  neglect  of  this  occasions  two  evils; 
one  is,  that  dumb  pastors,  and  such  as  speak  without  abili- 
ties, are  little  esteemed.  Another  evil  is,  that  the  function 
of  voluntary  preachers  allures  many  vain,  ambitious  spirits, 
that  endeavor  to  distinguish  themselves  in  this  way.  You 
know  that  in  former  ages  the  ministry  of  the  word  was  re- 
served for  the  bishops,  especially  in  the  western  church. 
You  must  have  heard  of  St.  Austin’s  case ; that,  contrary  to 
the  established  rule,  he  was  obliged  to  preach  while  he  was 
only  a presbyter,  because  Valerius,  his  bishop  and  predeces- 
sor, was  a stranger  who  could  not  talk  easily ; this  was  the 
beginning  of  that  custom  in  the  western  parts.  In  the  east, 
priests  sooner  began  to  preach ; as  appears  from  St.  Chry- 
sostom’s sermons,  which  he  made  at  Antioch,  when  he  was 
only  a presbyter. 

C,  I grant  that,  generally  speaking,  the  office  of  preach- 
ing should  be  reserved  for  the  parochial  clergy.  This  would 
be  the  way  to  restore  to  the  pulpit  that  simplicity  and  digni- 
ty that  ought  to  adorn  it.  For  if  pastors  joined  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  Scriptures  to  their  experience  in  the  ministerial 
function,  and  the  conduct  of  souls,  they  would  speak  in  such 
a way  as  is  best  adapted  to  the  wants  of  their  flocks.  Where- 
as those  preachers  who  give  up  themselves  chiefly  to  study 
and  speculation,  are  less  able  to  obviate  people’s  prejudices 
and  mistakes ; they  do  not  suit  their  discourses  to  vulgar 
capacities,  and  insist  chiefly  on  such  general  points  as  do  not 
instruct  nor  affect  rnen  ; to  say  nothing  of  the  weight  and  in- 
fluence that  the  shepherd’s  own  voice  must  have  among  his 
flock,  above  a stranger’s.  These,  methinks,  are  convincing 
reasons  for  preferring  a pastor’s  sermons  before  other  people’s. 
Of  what  use  are  so  many  young  preachers,  without  experi- 
ence, without  knowledge  and  without  piety  ? It  were  better 
to  have  fewer  sermons,  and  more  judicious  ones. 


think  it  a great  attainment  that  they  can  so  easily  and  constantly  set 
their  congregation  at  defiance ; but  they  must  not  expect  to  be  use- 
ful, so  long  as  it  remains  a truth,  that  the  wrath  of  man  worketh  not 
the  righteousness  of  God. — JYewton. 


144  DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 

B.  But  there  are  many  priests  who  are  not  pastors,  and 
who  preach  with  great  success.  How  many  persons  are 
there  of  the  religious  orders,  who  fill  the  pulpit  to  advan- 
tage ? 

C.  I own  there  are  many  ; and  such  men  ought  to  be  made 
pastors  of  parishes,  and  even  be  constrained  to  undertake 
the  care  of  souls.  Were  not  anchorets  of  old  forced  from 
their  beloved  solitude,  and  raised  to  public  stations,  that  the 
light  of  their  piety  might  shine  in  the  church,  and  edify  the 
faithful  ? 

A.  But  it  does  not  belong  to  us  to  regulate  the  discipline 
of  the  church.  Every  age  has  its  proper  customs,  as  the  cir- 
cumstances of  things  require.  Let  us  show  a regard  to 
whatever  the  church  tolerates,  and,  without  indulging  a cen- 
sorious humor,  let  us  finish  our  character  of  a worthy 
preacher. 

C.  What  you  have  said  already  gives  me,  I think,  an  ex- 
act idea  of  it. 

A.  Let  us  hear  then  what  you  reckon  necessary  to  make 
a complete  preacher. 

C.  I think  that  he  ought  to  have  studied  solidly,  during 
his  younger  days,  whatever  is  most  useful  in  the  poetry  and 
eloquence  of  the  ancients.i 

A.  That  is  not  necessary.  It  is  true  when  one  has  fin- 
ished such  studies  successfully,  they  may  be  of  use  to  him, 
even  towards  a right  understanding  of  the  Scriptures ; as  St. 
Basil  has  shown  in  a treatise  he  composed  on  this  very  sub- 
ject. But  after  all,  this  sort  of  study  is  rather  useful  than 
necessary.  In  the  first  ages  of  the  church,  the  clergy  found 
a want  of  this  kind  of  learning.  Those  indeed  who  had  ap- 
plied themselves  to  it  in  their  youth,  turned  it  to  the  service 
of  religion,  when  they  became  pastors;  but  such  as  had 
neglected  these  before,  were  not  permitted  to  follow  them, 
when  they  had  once  engaged  themselves  in  the  study  of  the 
sacred  writings,  which  were  then  reckoned  to  be  sufficient. 
Hence  came  that  passage  in  the  Apostolical  Constitutions,^ 


^ The  Greek  and  Roman  authors  have  a spirit  in  them,  a force, 
both  of  thought  and  expression,  that  latter  ages  have  not  been  able 
to  imitate,  Buchanan  only  excepted  ; in  whom,  more  particularly  in 
his  Psalms,  there  is  a beauty,  and  life,  an  exactness  as  well  as  a liber- 
ty, that  cannot  be  imitated,  and  scarce  enough  commended. — Dis- 
course  of  the  'pastoral  care^  ch.  viii. 

2 B.  i.  c.  6. 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


145 


which  exhorts  Christians  not  to  read  the  heathen  authors. 

‘ If  you  want  history,  (says  the  book,)  or  laws,  or  moral  pre^ 
cepts,  or  eloquence,  or  poetry,  you  will  find  them  all  in  the 
Scriptures.’  In  effect,  we  have  already  seen  that  it  is  need* 
less  to  seek  elsewhere,  for  anything  that  is  necessary  to  form 
our  taste  and  judgment  of  true  eloquence.  St.  Austin  says 
that  the  smaller  stock  we  have  of  other  learning,  we  ought  so 
much  the  more  to  enrich  ourselves  out  of  that  sacred  treasure ; 
and  that  seeing  our  notions  are  too  scanty  to  express  divine 
things  in  a proper  way,  we  have  need  to  exalt  and  improve 
our  knowledge  by  the  authority  of  Scripture,  and  our  lan- 
guage by  the  dignity  of  its  expressions.  But  I ask  your  par- 
don for  interrupting  you.  Go  on.  Sir,  if  you  please. 

C.  Well  then;  let  us  be  content  with  the  sufficiency  of 
Scripture.  But  shall  we  not  add  the  fathers? 

A.  Without  doubt ; they  are  the  channels  of  tradition* 
It  is  by  their  writings  that  we  learn  the  manner  in  which  the 
church  has  interpreted  the  Scripture  in  all  ages.- 

C.  But  are  preachers  obliged  to  explain  every  passage  of 
Scripture,  according  to  the  interpretations  that  the  fathers 
have  given  us?  We  find  that  one  father  gives  a spiritual  or 
mystical  sense,  and  another  gives  a literal  one.  Now  which 
must  we  choose  ? for  there  would  be  no  end  of  mentioning 
them  all. 

A.  When  I affirm  that  we  ought  to  interpret  the  Scripture 
according  to  the  doctrine  of  the  fathers,  I mean,  their  con- 
stant and  uniform  doctrine.  They  frequently  gave  pious  in- 
terpretations that  differed  very  much  from  the  literal  sense, 
and  were  not  founded  on  the  prophetical  allusions,  and  the 
mysterious  doctrines  of  religion.  Now  seeing  these  interpre- 
tations are  arbitrary,  we  are  not  obliged  to  follow  them ; 

‘ seeing  they  did  not  follow  one  another.’  But  in  those  places 
where  they  explain  the  sentiments  of  the  church  concerning 
points  of  faith  or  practice,  it  is  not  allowable  to  explain  the 
Scripture  in  a sense  contrary  to  the  doctrine  of  the  fathers- 
This  is  the  authority  that  we  ought  to  ascribe  to  them. 

C.  This  seems  clear  enough.  I would  therefore  have  a 
clergyman  (before  he  begin  to  preach)  be  thoroughly  ac- 
quainted with  the  doctrine  of  the  fathers,  that  he  may  follow 
it.  I would  even  have  him  study  the  principles  they  laid 
down  for  their  conduct,  their  rules  of  moderation,  and  their 
method  of  instruction. 

A.  Right;  they  are  our  masters.  They  had  an  exalted 

13 


146 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


genius,  they  had  great  and  pious  souls,  full  of  heroical  senti- 
ments. They  had  a singular  knowledge  of  the  tempers  and 
manners  of  men,  and  acquired  a great  repute,  and  a very 
easy  way  of  preaching.  We  even  find  that  many  of  them 
were  very  polite,  and  knew  whatever  is  decent,  either  in 
writing  or  speaking  in  public,  and  what  is  handsome  both  in 
familiar  conversation,  and  in  discharging  the  common  duties 
of  life.  Doubtless  all  this  must  have  conduced  to  render 
them  eloquent,  and  fit  to  gain  upon  people’s  minds.  Ac- 
cordingly, we  find  in  their  writings  a politeness  not  only  of 
language,  but  of  sentiments  and  manners,  which  is  not  to  be 
seen  in  the  writers  of  the  following  ages.  This  just  taste 
and  discernment,  which  agrees  perfectly  well  with  simplicity, 
and  rendered  their  persons  acceptable,  and  their  behaviour 
engaging,  was  highly  serviceable  to  religion.  And  in  this 
point  we  can  scarce  imitate  them  enough.  So  that  after  the 
Scriptures,  the  knowledge  of  the  fathers  will  help  a preacher 
to  compose  good  sermons. 

C.  When  one  has  laid  such  a solid  foundation,  and  edi- 
fied the  church  by  his  exemplary  virtues,  he  would  then  be 
fit  to  explain  the  gospel  with  great  authority  and  good  effect. 
For  by  familiar  instructions  and  useful  conferences,  (to 
which  we  suppose  him  to  have  been  accustomed  betimes,)  he 
must  have  attained  a sufficient  freedom  and  easiness  of  speak- 
ing. Now  if  such  pastors  applied  themselves  to  all  the  par- 
ticular duties  of  their  function,  as  administering  the  sacra- 
ments, directing  pious  souls,  and  comforting  afflicted,  or  dy- 
ing persons;  it  is  certain  they  could  not  have  much  time  to 
make  elaborate  sermons,  and  learn  them  word  for  word. 

‘ The  mouth  behoved  to  speak  from  the  abundance  of  the 
heart  and  communicate  to  the  people  the  fulness  of  gos- 
pel knowledge,  and  the  affecting  sentiments  of  the  preacher. 
As  for  what  you  said  yesterday,  about  getting  sermons  by 
heart,  I had  the  curiosity  to  seek  out  a passage  in  St.  Austin 
that  I had  read  before  ; it  is  to  tliis  effect, — he  thinks  that  a 
preacher  ought  to  speak  in  a more  plain  and  sensible  man- 
ner than  other  people  ; for,  seeing  custom  and  decency  will 
not  permit  his  hearers  to  ask  him  any  questions,  he  should 
be  afraid  of  not  adapting  his  discourse  to  their  capacity. 
“ Wherefore,”  says  he,  “ they,  who  get  their  sermons  by 
heart,  word  for  word,  and  so  cannot  repeat  and  explain  a 


Malth.  12:  34. 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


147 


truth  till  they  see  that  their  hearers  understand  it,  must  lose 
one  great  end  and  benefit  of  preaching.’’  You  see  by  this, 
Sir,  that  St.  Austin  only  prepared  his  subject,  without  bur- 
dening his  memory  with  all  the  words  of  his  sermons. 
Though  the  precepts  of  true  eloquence  should  require  more, 
yet  the  rules  of  the  gospel  ministry  will  not  permit  us  to  go 
farther.  As  for  my  own  part,  I have  been  long  of  your  opin- 
ion concerning  this  matter,  because  of  the  many  pressing 
necessities  in  the  Christian  church,  that  require  a pastor’s 
continual  application.  While  a priest,  who  ought  to  be  ^ a 
man  of  God,i  thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works,’ 
should  be  diligent  in  rooting  out  ignorance  and  offences  from 
the  field  of  the  church  ; I think  it  unworthy  of  him  to  waste 
his  time  in  his  closet,  in  the  smoothing  of  periods,  in  giving 
delicate  touches  to  his  descriptions,  and  inventing  quaint 
divisions.  When  one  falls  into  the  method  and  employment 
of  these  pretty  preachers,  he  can  have  no  time  to  do  any- 
thing else  ; he  applies  himself  to  no  other  business,  or  use- 
ful kind  of  study ; nay,  to  refresh  himself,  he  is  oftentimes 
forced  to  preach  the  same  sermons  over  and  over  again. 
But  what  kind  of  eloquence  can  a preacher  attend  to,  when 
his  hearers  know  beforehand  all  the  expressions  and  pathetic 
figures  he  will  use?  This  is  a likely  way  indeed,  to  surprise 
and  astonish ; to  soften,  and  move,  and  persuade  them.  This 
must  be  a strange  manner  of  concealing  one’s  art,  and  of 
letting  nature  speak.  To  tell  you  freely.  Sir,  this  gives  me 
great  offence.  What ! shall  a dispenser  of  the  divine  mys- 
teries be  an  idle  declairner,  jealous  of  his  reputation  and 
fond  of  vain  pomp?^  Shall  he  not  dare  to  speak  of  God  to 
his  people,  without  having  ranged  all  his  words,  and  learned 
his  lesson  by  heart  like  a school  boy  ? 

A,  I am  very  much  pleased  with  your  zeal.  What  you 
say  is  true.  But  we  must  not  however  inveigh  against  this 

1 2 Tim.  3:  17. 

2 Sed  hie  ornatus  (repetam  enim)  virilis,  fortis  etsanctus  sit — Non 
deoet  quisquam  ubi  maxima  rerum  momenta  versantur,  de  verbis  esse 
solliciius — Prima  virtus  est  vitio  carere.  Igituv  ante  omnia,  ne  spe- 
remus  ornatam  orationem  fore,  qnae  probabilis  non  erit.  Prohabile 
autern  Cicero  id  genus  dicit,  quod  non  plus,  minusve  est  quam  decet. 
Non  quia  corni  expolirique  non  debeat,  nam  et  haec  ornatus  pars  est; 
sed  quia  vitium  est  ubique,  quod  nimium  est.  Itaque  vult  esse  auc- 
toritatem  et  pondus  in  verbis  : sententias  vel  graves,  vel  aptas  opin- 
jonibus  liominum  ac  rnoribus. — Quint,  lib.  viii.  c.  3. 


148 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


abuse  with  too  much  violence ; for  we  ought  to  show  a regard 
to  persons  of  worth  and  piety,  who,  out  of  deference  to  cus- 
tom, or  being  prepossessed  by  example,  have  with  a good 
design  fallen  into  the  method  that  you  justly  censure.  But 
I am  ashamed  to  interrupt  you  so  often.  Go  on,  I beseech 
you. 

C.  I would  have  a preacher  explain  the  whole  plan  of 
religion  ; and  unfold  every  part  of  it,  in  the  most  intelli- 
gible manner ; by  showing  the  primitive  institution  of  things ; 
and  pointing  out  the  sequel  and  tradition  of  them  : that,  by 
showing  the  origin  and  establishment  of  religion,  he  might 
destroy  the  objections  of  unbelievers,  without  offering  to  at- 
tack them  openly  : lest  he  should  thereby  lay  a stumbling 
block  in  the  way  of  illiterate,  well  meaning  Christians.^ 

' Particular  care  ought  to  be  taken  in  expounding  the  Scriptures 
to  the  people,  not  to  appear  over-learned  and  over-critical  in  one’s 
explications.  There  is  no  occasion  to  obtrude  on  an  audience,  as 
some  do,  all  the  jarring  interpretations  given  by  different  commenta- 
tors, of  which  it  is  much  better  that  the  people  should  remain  ignorant, 
than  that  they  should  be  apprized.  For  this  knowledge  can  serve  no 
other  purpose,  than  to  distract  their  thoughts  and  perplex  their  judg- 
ment. Before  you  begin  to  build,  it  is  necessary  to  remove  such  im- 
pediments, as  lie  directly  in  your  way ; but  you  could  not  account 
him  other  than  a very  foolish  builder,  who  should  first  collect  a deal 
of  rubbish,  which  was  not  in  his  way,  and  consequently  could  not 
have  obstructed  his  work,  that  he  might  have  the  pleasure  and  merit 
of  removing  it.  And  do  the  fantastic,  absurd,  and  contradictory 
glosses  of  commentators  deserve  a better  name  than  rubbish  ? No, 
surely.  But  if  such  absurd  glosses  are  unknown  to  your  congrega- 
tion, they  are  rubbish  which  lies  not  in  your  way.  No  interpreta- 
tion, therefore,  or  gloss  should  ever  be  mentioned  in  order  to  be  re- 
futed, unless  it  be  such  as  the  words  themselves,  on  a superficial 
view,  might  seem  to  countenance,  or  such  as  is  generally  known  to 
the  people  to  be  put  upon  them  by  some  interpreters,  or  sects  of 
Christians.  Where  a false  gloss  cannot  be  reasonably  supposed  to 
be  either  known  or  thought  of  by  the  audience,  it  is  in  the  preacher 
worse  than  being  idly  ostentatious  of  his  learning,  to  introduce  such 
erroneous  gloss  or  comment.  And  as  to  an  excess  of  criticism  in  this 
exercise,  it  ought  also  doubtless  carefully  to  be  avoided.  We  must 
always  remember  the  difference  between  a church  and  a college.  In 
most  Christian  congregations  there  are  very  few,  if  any  linguists.  I 
do  not  say  that  in  our  lectures  we  ought  never  to  mention  the  origi- 
nal or  recur  to  it.  Justice  to  the  passage  we  explain  may  sometimes 
require  it.  Nor  is  it  necessary , that  our  translators  should  be  deemed 
infallible  even  by  the  multitude.  It  is  enough,  that  we  consider  as 
the  pure  dictates  of  the  Spirit  those  intimations,  with  which,  the 
prophets  and  apostles  were  inspired.  But  then,  on  the  other  hand, 
it  is  neither  modest  nor  prudent  in  the  preacher,  especially  if  a young 
man,  to  be  at  every  turn  censuring  the  translators,  and  pretending  to 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


149 


A.  That  is  very  right.  The  best  way  of  proving  the  truth 
of  religion,  is  to  explain  it  justly  ; for  it  carries  its  own  evi- 
dence along  with  it,  when  we  represent  it  in  its  native  purity. 
All  other  proofs  that  are  not  drawn  from  the  very  foundation 
of  religion  itself,  and  the  manner  of  its  propagation,  are  but 
foreign  to  it.  Thus,  for  instance,  the  best  proof  of  the  crea- 
tion of  the  world,  of  the  deluge,  and  the  miracles  of  Moses, 
may  be  drawn  from  the  nature  of  those  miracles,  and  the  art- 
less, impartial  manner  in  which  the  Mosaic  history  is  written. 
A wise,  unprejudiced  person  needs  only  to  read  it,  to  be  fully 
convinced  of  its  truth. 

C.  I would  likewise  have  a preacher  assiduously  explain 
to  the  people,  in  a connected  train,  not  only  all  the  particular 


mend  their  version.  It  is  not  modest,  as  they,  over  whom  the  cor- 
rector assumes  a superiority,  are  allowed  on  all  hands  to  have  been 
men  of  eminent  talents  and  erudition.  And  it  is  not  prudent,  as  this 
practice  never  fails  to  produce  in  the  minds  of  the  people  a want  of 
confidence  in  their  Bible,  which  tends  greatly  to  lessen  its  authority. 
Therefore,  though  1 am  by  no  means  for  ascribing  infallibility  to  any 
human  expositors,  propriety  requires,  that  we  should  neither  too  often, 
nor  too  abruptly  tax  with  blundering,  before  such  a promiscuous  au- 
dience as  our  congregations  commonly  are,  men  of  so  respectable 
memory.  Manly  freedom  of  inquiry,  becoming  a protestant,  becom- 
ing a Briton,  tempered  with  that  decent  reserve  which  suits  the 
humble  Christian,  will  guard  the  judicious  against  both  extremes,  an 
overweening  conceit  of  his  own  abilities,  and  an  implicit  faith  in 
those  of  others.  And  indeed,  in  regard  to  everything,  which  may  be 
introduced  either  in  the  way  of  criticism  or  comment,  it  ought  ever 
to  be  remembered,  that  it  is  not  enough,  that  such  an  observation  is 
just,  that  such  an  interpretation  hath  actually  been  given,  or  that 
such  an  opinion  hath  been  maintained ; the  previous  inquiry,  which 
the  preacher  ought  to  make  by  himself  is,  whether  it  be  of  any  con- 
sequence to  the  people  to  be  informed  of  the  observation,  comment, 
or  opinion.  This  inquiry,  impartially  made,  will  prove  a check 
against  the  immoderate  indulgence  of  what  is  perhaps  the  natural 
bent  of  his  own  genius,  whether  it  be  to  critical  or  controversial  dis- 
quisition, and  which  it  is  not  always  easy  for  youth,  commonly  im- 
petuous and  opinionative,  duly  to  restrain.  If  on  other  occasions, 
more  especially  on  this,  the  apostolical  admonition  ought  to  be  sa- 
credly observed,  that  “ nothing  proceed  out  of  the  speaker’s  mouth, 
but  that  which  is  good  to  the  use  of  edifying,  that  it  may  minister 
grace  to  the  hearers.”  But  for  our  direction  in  this  kind  of  discern- 
ment, no  precepts,  it  must  be  acknowledged,  will  suffice.  A fund  of 
good  sense  is  absolutely  necessary,  enlightened  by  a knowledge  of 
mankind.  In  this,  as  in  every  other  kind  of  composition,  the  maxim 
of  the  poet  invariably  holds : 

Scribendi  recte  sapere  est  principium  et  fons. 

Campbell  on  Pulpit  Eloquence, 

13* 


150  DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 

precepts  and  mysteries  of  the  gospel,  but  likewise  the  origin 
and  institution  of  the  sacraments ; the  traditions,  discipline, 
the  liturgy,  and  ceremonies  of  the  church.  By  these  in- 
structions he  would  guard  the  faithful  against  the  objections 
of  heretics,  and  enable  them  to  give  an  account  of  their 
faith,  and  even  to  affect  such  heretics  as  are  not  obstinate ; 
he  would  strengthen  people’s  faith,  give  them  an  exalted  no- 
tion of  religion,  and  make  them  receive  some  edification  and 
benefit  from  what  they  see  in  the  church.  Whereas,  with 
the  superficial  instruction  that  is  generally  given  them  at 
present,  they  comprehend  little  or  nothing  of  what  they  see, 
and  have  but  a very  confused  idea  of  what  they  hear  from  the 
preacher.  It  is  chiefly  for  the  sake  of  this  connected  scheme 
of  instruction  that  I would  have  fixed  persons,  such  as  pas- 
tors, to  preach  in  every  parish.  I have  often  observed  that 
there  is  no  art,  nor  science,  that  is  not  taught  coherently  by 
principles  and  method,  in  a connected  train  of  instructions. 
Religion  is  the  only  thing  that  is  not  taught  thus  to  Chris- 
tians. In  their  childhood  they  have  a little,  dry  catechism 
put  into  their  hands,  which  they  learn  by  rote,  without  un- 
derstanding the  sense  of  it.  And  alter  that,  they  have  no 
other  instruction  but  what  they  can  gather  from  sermons 
upon  unconnected,  general  subjects.  I would  therefore,  (as 
you  said,)  have  preachers  teach  people  the  first  principles  of 
their  religion,  and,  by  a due  method,  lead  them  on  to  the 
highest  mysteries  of  it. 

A.  That  was  the  ancient  way.  They  began  with  cate- 
chising ; after,  which,  pastors  taught  their  people  the  several 
doctrines  of  the  gospel,  in  a connected  train  of  homilies. 
This  instructed  Christians  fully  in  the  word  of  God.  You 
know  St.  Austin’s  book  of/  catechising  the  ignorant,’  and  St. 
Clement’s  tract,  which . he  composed  to  show  the  heathen 
whom  he  converted,  what  were  the  doctrines  and  manners  of 
the  Christian  philosophy.  In  those  days  the  greatest  men 
were  employed  in  these  catechetical  instructions,  and  ac- 
cordingly, they  produced  such  wonderful  effects,  as  seem 
quite  incredible  to  us. 

C.  In  fine,  I would  have  every  preacher  make  such  ser- 
mons as  should  not  be  too  troublesome  to  him ; that  so  he 
might  be  able  to  preach  often.  They  ought  therefore  to  be 
short;  that  without  fatiguing  himself  or  wearying  the  people, 
he  might  preach  every  Sunday  after  the  gospel.  As  far  as 
we  can  judge,  those  aged  bishops  who  lived  in  former  times, 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


151 


and  had  constant  labors  to  employ  them,  did  not  make  such 
a stir  as  our  modern  preachers  do  in  talking  to  the  people  in 
the  midst  of  the  service,  which  the  bishops  themselves  read 
solemnly  every  Lord’s  day.  A preacher  now-a-days  gets 
little  credit,  unless  he  comes  out  of  the  pulpit  sweating  and 
breathless,  and  unable  to  do  anything  the  rest  of  the  day. 
The  bishop’s  upper  vestment,  (which  was  not  then  opened 
at  the  shoulders  as  it  is  now,  but  hung  equally  down  on  all 
sides,)  probably  hindered  him  from  moving  his  arms,  as 
some  preachers  do.  So  that  as  their  sermons  were  short,  so 
their  action  must  have  been  grave  and  moderate.  Now  Sir, 
is  not  all  this  agreeable  to  your  principles  ? is  not  this  the 
idea  you  gave  us  of  good  preaching  ? 

A.  It  is  not  mine  : it  is  the  current  notion  of  all  antiquity. 
The  farther  I inquire  into  this  matter,  the  more  I am  con- 
vinced that  the  ancient  form  of  sermons  was  the  most  per- 
fect. The  primitive  pastors  were  great  men ; they  were  not 
only  very  holy,  but  they  had  a complete,  clear  knowledge  of 
religion,  and  of  the  best  way  to  persuade  men  of  its  truth, 
and  they  took  care  to  regulate  all  the  circumstances  of  it. 
There  is  a great  deal  of  wisdom,  hidden  under  this  air  of 
simplicity,  and  we  ought  not  to  believe  that  a better  method 
could  have  been  afterwards  found  out.  You  have  set  this 
whole  matter  in  the  best  light,  and  have  left  me  nothing  to 
add ; indeed  you  have  explained  my  thoughts  better  than  I 
should  have  done  myself. 

B.  You  magnify  the  eloquence  and  the  sermons  of  the 
fathers  mightily. 

A.  I do  not  think  that  I commend  them  too  much. 

B.  I am  surprised  to  see,  that  after  you  have  been  so 
severe  against  those  orators,  who  mix  turns  of  wit  with  their 
discourses,  you  should  be  so  indulgent  to  the  fathers,  whose 
writings  are  full  of  jingling  antitheses,  and  quibbles,  entirely 
contrary  to  all  your  rules.  I wish  you  would  be  consistent 
with  yourself.  Pray,  Sir,  unfold  all  this  to  us.  Particular- 
ly, what  do  you  think  of  Tertullian? 

A.  There  are  many  excellent  things  in  him.  The  lofti- 
ness of  his  sentiments  is  oftentimes  admirable.  Besides,  he 
should  be  read  for  the  sake  of  some  principles  concerning  tra- 
dition, some  historical  facts,  and  the  discipline  of  his  time. 
But  as  for  his  style,  I do  not  pretend  to  justify  it.  He  has 
many  false  and  obscure  notions,  many  harsh  and  perplexed 
metaphors,  and  the  generality  of  readers  are  most  fond  of  his 


152 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


faults.  He  has  spoiled  many  preachers. i For,  the  desire  of 
saying  something  that  is  singular,  leads  them  to  study  his 
works  and  his  uncommon,  pompous  style  dazzles  them. 
We  must,  therefore,  beware  of  imitating  his  thoughts  or  ex- 
pressions, and  only  pick  out  his  noble  sentiments,  and  the 
knowledge  of  antiquity. 


^ One  of  the  greatest  and  most  remarkable  proofs  of  the  strong  in- 
fluence that  some  imaginations  have  over  others,  is  the  power  that 
some  authors  have  to  persuade,  without  any  proof.  For  example, 
the  turn  of  words  that  we  find  in  Tertullian,  Seneca,  Montaigne,  and 
some  other  authors,  has  so  many  charms,  and  so  much  lustre,  that 
they  dazzle  most  readers. — Their  inords,  however  insignificant,  have 
more  force  than  the  reasons  of  other  people. — I protest,  1 have  a 
great  value  for  some  of  Tertullian’s  works,  and  chiefly  for  his  ^polo~ 
against  the  G entiles, ‘h\s  hook  of  Prescriptions  against  heretics; 
and  for  some  passages  of  Seneca,  though  1 have  very  little  esteem 
for  Montaigne.  Tertullian  was  indeed  a man  of  great  learning,  but 
he  had  more  memory  than  judgment. — The  regard  he  showed  to  the 
visions  of  Montanus,  and  his  prophetesses,  is  an  unquestionable  proof 
of  his  weak  judgment.  The  disorder  of  his  imagination  sensibly  ap- 
pears in  the  heat,  the  transports,  and  enthusiastic  fliglits  he  falls  into 
upon  trifling  subjects. — What  could  he  infer  from  his  pompous  de- 
scriptions of  the  changes  that  happen  in  the  world  Or  how  could 
they  justify  his  laying  aside  his  usual  dress  to  wear  the  philosophical 
cloak  ? Tlie  moon  has  different  phases  ; the  year  has  several  sea- 
sons ; the  fields  change  their  appearance  in  summer  and  winter; 
whole  provinces  are  drowned  by  inundations,  or  swallowed  up  by 
earthquakes— in  fine,  all  nature  is  subject  to  changes  ; therefore,  he 
had  reason  to  wear  the  cloak  rather  than  the  common  robe  ! — Noth- 
ing can  excuse  the  silly  arguments  and  wild  fancies  of  this  author, 
who,  in  several  others  of  his  works,  as  well  as  in  that  de  Pallio,  says 
everything  that  comes  into  his  head,  if  it  be  a far-fetched  conceit,  or 
a bold  expression;  by  which  he  hoped  to  show  the  vigor,  (we  must 
rather  call  it,  the  disorder)  of  his  imagination. — Malchranche's  Recher- 
che de  la  verite,  Liv.  ii.  p.  3.  c.  3. 

2 Eccentricity  is  sometimes  found  connected  with  genius,  but  it 
does  not  coalesce  with  true  wisdom.  Hence,  men  of  the  first  order 
of  intellect,  have  never  betrayed  it ; and  hence  also,  men  of  seconda- 
ry talents  drop  it  as  they  grow  wiser  ; and  are  satisfied  to  found  their 
consequence  on  real  and  solid  excellency,  not  on  peculiarity  and  ex- 
travagance. They  are  content  to  awaken  regard  and  obtain  applause 
by  the  rectitude  and  gracefulness  of  their  going,  rather  than  to  make 
passengers  stare  and  laugh  by  leaping  over  the  wall  or  stumbling 
along  the  road.  True  greatness  is  serious,  trifling  is  beneath  its  dig- 
nity. We  are  more  indebted  to  the  regular,  sober,  constant  course  of 
the  sun,  than  to  the  glare  of  the  comet ; the  one  indeed  occupies  our 
papers,  but  the  other  enriches  our  fields  and  gardens;  we  gaze  at 
the  strangeness  of  the  one,  but  we  live  by  the  influence  of  the  other. 
— Jay. 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


153 


B.  What  say  you  of  St.  Cyprian  ? Is  not  his  style  too 
swelling  ? 

A,  I think  it  is ; and  it  could  scarce  be  otherwise  in  his 
age  and  country.  But  though  his  language  has  a tang  of  the 
African  roughness,  and  the  bombast  which  prevailed  in  his 
days ; yet  there  is  great  force  and  eloquence  in  it.  Every- 
where we  see  a great  soul,  who  expresseth  his  sentiments  in 
a very  noble,  moving  manner.  In  some  places  of  his  works 
we  find  affected  ornaments,  especially  in  his  epistle  to  Dona- 
tus  ; which  St.  Austin  quotes,  however,  as  a letter  full  of  el- 
oquence. He  says,  that  God  permitted  those  strokes  of  vain 
oratory  to  fall  from  St.  Cyprian’s  pen,  to  show  posterity  how 
much  the  spirit  of  Christian  simplicity  had,  in  his  following 
works,  retrenched  the  superfluous  ornaments  of  his  style,  and 
reduced  it  within  the  bounds  of  a grave  and  modest  eloquence. 
This,  says  St.  Austin,  is  the  distinguishing  character  of  all 
the  letters  which  St.  Cyprian  wrote  afterwards ; which  we 
may  safely  admire  and  imitate,  as  being  written  according  to 
the  severest  rules  of  religion  ; though  we  canhot  hope  to  come 
up  to  them  without  a great  application.  In  fine,  though  his 
letter  to  Donatus,  even  in  St.  Austin’s  opinion,  be  too  elabo- 
rately adorned,  it  still  deserves  to  be  called  eloquent.  For, 
notwithstanding  its  many  rhetorical  embellishments,  we  can- 
not but  perceive,  that  a great  part  of  the  epistle  is  very  seri- 
ous and  lively,  afid  most  proper  to  give  Donatus  a noble  idea 
of  Christianity.  In  those  passages  where  he  is  very  earnest, 
he  neglects  all  turns  of  wit,  and  falls  into  a sublime  and  ve- 
hement strain. 

B.  But  what  do  you  think  of  St.  Austin?  Is  he  not  the 
most  jingling  quibbler  that  ever  wrote  P Will  you  defend 
him  ? 


^ Misi  nuncios  meos  omnes  sensus  interiores,  ut  quaererem  te, 
et  non  inveni,  quia  male  quaerebam.  Video  enim,  lux  mea,  Deus 
qui  illuminasti  me,  quia  male  te  per  illos  quaerebam,  quia  tu  es  intus, 
et  tamen  ipsi  ubi  intraveris,  nesciverunt. — Et  tamen  cum  Deum  meum 
quaero,  quaero  nihilominus  quandam  lucem  super  omnem  lucem 
quam  non  capit  oculus;  quandam  vocem  super  omnem  vocem,  quam 
non  capit  auris  ; quendam  odorem  super  omnem  odorem,  quern  non 
capit  naris ; quendam  dulcorem  super  omnem  dulcorem,  quern  non 
sapit  gustus ; quendam  amplexum  super  omnem  amplexum,  quern 
non  capit  tactus.  Ista  lux  folget  ubi  locus  non  capit ; ista  vox  sonat, 
ubi  tempus  non  rapit;  odor  iste  redolet,  ubi  flatus  non  spargit ; sapor 
iste  .sapit,  ubi  non  est  edacitas;  amplexus  iste  tangitur,  ubi  non 
diveilitur. — Aug.  SolU.  § 31. 

O dies  praeclara  nesciens  vesperum,  non  habens  occasum — ubi  non 


154 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


A.  No  ; I cannot  vindicate  him  in  that.  It  was  the  reign- 
ing fault  of  his  time,  to  which  his  quick,  lively  fancy  natural- 
ly inclined  him.  This  shows  that  he  was  not  a perfect  ora- 
tor. But  notwithstanding  this  defect,  he  had  a great  talent 
for  persuasion.  He  reasoned  generally  with  great  force,  and 
he  is  full  of  noble  notions.  He  knew  the  heart  of  man  en- 
tirely well,  and  was  so  polite,  that  he  carefully  observed  the 
strictest  decency  in  all  his  discourses.  In  short,  he  express- 
ed himself  almost  always  in  a pathetic,  gentle,  insinuating 
manner.  Now  ought  not  the  fault  we  observe  in  so  great  a 
man,  to  be  forgiven  ? 

C.  I must  own  there  is  one  thing  in  him  that  I never  ob- 
served in  any  other  writer;  I mean,  that  he  has  a moving 
way,  even  when  he  quibbles.  None  of  his  works  are  more 
full  of  jingling  turns,  than  his  confessions,  and  soliloquies, 
and  yet  we  must  own  they  are  tender, i and  apt  to  affect  the 
reader.  ^ 

A.  It  is  because  he  checks  the  turns  of  his  fancy  as  much 
as  he  can,  by  the  ingenuous  simplicity  of  his  pious,  affecting 
sentiments.  All  his  works  plainly  show  his  love  of  God. 
He  was  not  only  conscious  of  it,  but  knew  well  how  to  ex- 
press to  others  the  strong  sense  he  had  of  it.  Now  this  ten- 
der, affecting  way  is  a part  of  eloquence.  But  we  see,  be- 
sides, that  St.  Austin  knew  exactly  all  the  essential  rules  of 
it.  He  tells  us^  that  a persuasive  discourse  must  be  simple 
and  natural,  that  art  must  not  appear  in  it,  and  that  if  it  be 
too  fine  and  elaborate,  it  puts  the  hearers  upon  their  guard.3 


erit  kostis  irnpugnans,  nec  ulla  illecebra,  sed  summa  et  certa  securi- 
tas,  secura  tranquillitas,  et  tranquilla  jocunditas,  jocunda  felicitas,  fe- 
lix  aeternitas,  aeterna  beatitude,  et  beata  Trinitas,  et  Trinitatis  uni- 
tas,  et  unitatis  Deltas,  et  Deitatis  beata  visio,  quae  est  gaudiurn  Do- 
mini mei. — Aug.  Solit.  § 35. 

^ Quemadmodum  desiderat  cervus  ad  fontes  aquarum,  ita  desiderat 
anima  mea  ad  te,  Deus.  Sitivit  anima  mea  ad  Deum,  fontem  vi- 
vurri ; quando  veniam  et  apparebo  ante  faciem  Dei  mei  ? O fons  vitae, 
vena  aquarum  viventium  ; quando  veniam  ad  aquas  dulcedinis  tuae 
de  terra  deserta,  in  via  et  inaquosa;  ut  videani  virtutem  tuarn,et  glo- 
riam  tuam,  et  satiem  ex  aquis  misericordiae  tuae  sitim  meam  ^ sitioy 
Dotnine,  fons  vitae,  satia  me.  Sitio,  Domine,  sitio  Deum  vi- 
vum  ; O quando  veniam  et  apparebo,  Domine,  ante  faciem  tuam  ? — 
Jug.  SoliL  cap.  XXXV. 

2 De  Doct.  Chr.  1,  2. 

3 “ There  is  a false  eloquence,  in  being  ambitious  to  say  everything 
with  spirit,  and  turn  all  things  with  delicacy. — If  you  would  attain  to 
true  eloquence,  you  must  first  lay  aside  the  passion  for  appearing  elo- 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


155 


To  this  purpose  he  applies  these  words  which  you  cannot 
but  remember  : ‘ qui  sophistice  loquitur  odibilis  est.’  He 
talks  likewise  very  judiciously  of  the  mixing  different  kinds 
of  style  in  a discourse;  of  ranging  the  several  parts  of  it  in 
such  a manner  as  to  make  it  increase  gradually  in  strength 
and  evidence  ; of  the  necessity  of  being  plain  and  familiar, 
even  as  to  the  tones  of  the  voice,  and  our  actions  in  particular 
passages,  though  everything  we  say  should  still  have  a digni- 
ty, when  we  preach  religion.  In  fine,  he  likewise  shows  the 
way  to  awaken  and  move  people.  These  are  St.  Austin^s 
notions  of  eloquence.  But  if  you  would  see  with  how  much 
art  he  actually  influenced  people’s  minds,  and  with  what  ad- 
dress he  moved  their  passions,  according  to  the  true  design 
of  eloquence,  you  must  read  the  account  he  gives  of  a dis- 
course he  made  to  the  people  of  Caesarea,  in  Mauritania,  in 
order  to  abolish  a barbarous  practice.  It  seems,  there  pre- 
vailed among  them  an  ancient  custom,  which  they  had  carri- 
ed to  a monstrous  pitch  of  cruelty.  His  business  therefore 
was  to  draw  off  the  people  from  a spectacle  that  delighted 
them  extremely.  Judge  now  what  a difficult  enterprise  this 
was.  However,  he  tells  us  that  after  he  had  talked  to  them 
for  some  time,  they  spoke  aloud  and  applauded  him. 

But  he  concluded  that  his  discourse  had  not  persuaded 
them,  seeing  they  amused  themselves  in  commending  him. 
He  thought  he  had  done  nothing  while  he  only  raised  delight 
and  admiration  in  his  hearers,  nor  did  he  begin  to  hope  for 
any  good  effect  from  his  discourse,  till  he  saw  them  weep. 
“ In  effect,”  says  he,  “ the  people  were  at  length  prevailed  on 
to  give  up  this  delightful  spectacle,  nor  has  it  been  renewed 
these  eight  years.”  Is  not  St.  Austin  then  a true  orator? 
Have  we  any  preachers  that  are  able  to  talk  so  powerfully 
now?  As  for  St.  Jerome,  be  has  some  faults  in  his  style,  but 
his  expressions  are  manly  and  great.  He  is  not  regular,  but 
he  is  far  more  eloquent  than  most  of  those  who  value  them- 
selves upon  their  oratory.  We  should  judge  like  mere  gram- 
marians, if  we  examined  only  the  style  and  language  of  the 
fathers.  You  know  there  is  a great  difference  between  elo- 
quence, and  what  we  call  elegance,  or  purity  of  style,  St 
Ambrose  likewise  fell  into  the  fashionable  defects  of  his  time, 


quent.  So  long  as  you  have  vain,  ambitious  views,  you  will  never 
preach  well,  and  you  will  never  become  truly  eloquent.” — Ostervald's 
Led.  iv. 


156  DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 

and  gives  his  discourse  such  ornaments  as  were  then  in  vogue. 
Perhaps  these  great  men,  (who  had  higher  views  than  the 
common  rules  of  rhetoric,)  conformed  themselves  to  the  pre- 
vailing taste  of  the  age  they  lived  in,  that  they  might  the  bet- 
ter insinuate  the  truths  of  religion  upon  people’s  minds,  by  en- 
gaging them  to  hear  the  word  of  God  with  pleasure.  But 
notwithstanding  the  pirns  and  quibbles  that  St.  Ambrose 
sometimes  uses,  we  see  that  he  wrote  to  Theodosius  with  an 
inimitable  force  and  persuasion.  How  much  tenderness  does 
he  express,  when  he  speaks  of  the  death  of  his  brother  Saty- 
rus?  In  the  Roman  breviary  we  have  a discourse  of  his, 
concerning  John  the  Baptist’s  head,  which,  he  says,  Herod 
respected  and  dreaded  even  after  his  death.  If  you  observe 
that  discourse,  you  will  find  the  end  of  it  very  sublime.  St. 
Leo’s  style  is  swelling,  but  truly  noble.  Pope  Gregory  lived 
still  in  a worse  age,  and  yet  he  wrote  several  things  with 
much  strength  and  dignity.  We  ought  to  distinguish  those 
failings  into  which  the  degeneracy  of  arts  and  learning  led 
these  great  men,  in  common  with  other  writers  of  their  seve- 
ral ages ; and  at  the  same  time  observe  what  their  genius 
and  sentiments  furnished  them  with  to  persuade  their  hear- 
ers. 

C.  But  do  you  think,  then,  that  the  taste  of  eloquence 
was  quite  lost  in  those  ages  that  were  so  happy  for  reli- 
gion ? 

A.  Yes;  within  a little  time  after  the  reign  of  Augustus, 
eloquence  and  the  Latin  tongue  began  to  decline  apace. 
The  fathers  did  not  live  till  after  this  corruption,  so  that  we 
must  not  look  on  them  as  complete  models.  We  must  even 
acknowledge  that  most  of  the  sermons  they  have  left  us,  are 
composed  with  less  skill  and  force,  than  their  other  works. 
When  I showed  you  from  the  testimony  of  the  fathers  that 
the  Scripture  is  eloquent,  (which  you  seemed  to  believe  upon 
their  credit,)  I knew  very  well  that  the  oratory  of  these  wit- 
nesses, is  much  inferior  to  that  of  the  sacred  writings  them- 
selves; But  there  are  some  persons  of  such  a depraved  taste, 
that  they  cannot  relish  the  beauties  of  Isaiah ; and  yet  they 
will  admire  Chrysologus,  in  whom,  (notwithstanding  his  fine 
name,)  there  is  little  to  be  found  besides  abundance  of  evan- 
gelical piety,  couched  under  numberless  quibbles  and  low 
witticisms.  In  the  East,  the  just  way  of  speaking  and  writ- 
ing was  better  preserved,  and  the  Greek  tongue  continued 
for  some  time,  almost  in  its  ancient  purity.  St.  Chrysostom 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


157 


spoke  it  very  well.  His  style,  you  know,  is  copious,  but  he 
did  not  study  false  ornaments.  All  his  discourse  tends  to 
persuasion  ; he  placed  everything  with  judgment,  and  was 
well  acquainted  with  the  Holy  Scripture,  and  the  manners  of 
men.  He  entered  into  their  hearts,  and  rendered  things  fa- 
miliarly sensible  to  them.  He  had  sublime  and  solid  notions,, 
and  is  sometimes  very  affecting.  Upon  the  whole,  we  must 
own  he  is  a great  orator. i St.  Gregory  Nazianzen  is  more 
concise,  and  more  poetical,  but  not  quite  so  persuasive.  Apd* 
yet  he  has  several  moving  passages,  particularly  in  his  fune- 
ral oration  upon  his  brother  St.  Basil,  and  in  his  last  dis- 
course at  taking  leave  of  Constantinople.  St.  Basil  is  grave,, 
sententious  and  rigid  even  in  his  style.  He  had  meditated 
profoundly  on  all  the  truths  of  the  gospel,  he  knew  exactly 
all  the  disorders  and  weaknesses  of  human  nature,  and  he 


^ What  are  you  doing,  wicked  wretch  ^ You  require  an  oath  on 
the  holy  table ; and  you  sacrifice  cruelly  your  brother  on  the  same 
altar  where  Jesus  Christ,  who  sacrificed  himself  for  you,  lies  ? Thieves 
assassinate,  but  then  they  do  it  in  secret ; but  you,  in  presence  of 
the  church,  our  common  parent,  murder  one  of  her  children,  in  which, 
you  are  more  wicked  than  Cain;  for  he  concealed  his  guilt  in  the 
desert,  and  only  deprived  his  brother  of  a transitory  life;  but  you 
plunge  your  neighbor  into  everlasting  death,  and  that  in  the  midst  of 
the  temple,  and  before  the  face  of  the  Creator  ^ Was  then  the  Lord’s 
house  built  for  swearing,  and  not  for  prayer?  Is  the  sacred  altar  to 
occasion  the  committing  of  crimes,  instead  of  expiating  them?  But 
if  every  other  religious  sentiment  is  extinguished  in  you,  revere,  at 
least,  the  holy  book  with  which  you  present  your  brother  to  swear 
upon.  Open  the  holy  gospel,  on  which  you  are  going  to  make  him 
swear,  and  upon  hearing  what  Christ  Jesus  says  of  swearing,  tremble 
and  withdraw.  And  what  does  Christ  say  there  ? “ It  has  been  said 

by  them  of  old  time,  thou  shalt  not  forswear  thyself.  . . . But  1 say 
unto  you,  swear  not  at  all.”  How  ! you  make  people  swear  on  that 
very  book  which  forbids  the  taking  of  oaths  ! Impious  procedure  ! 
Horrid  sacrilege  ! This  is  makinglthe  legislator,  who  condemns  mur- 
der, an  accomplice  in  the  guilt  of  it. 

1 shed  fewer  tears  when  1 hear  that  a person  has  been  mur- 
dered on  the  highway,  than  when  I see  a man  go  up  to  the  altar,  lay 
his  hand  on  the  holy  book  of  the  gospels,  and  take  his  oath  aloud.  On 
this  occasion,  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  keep  from  changing  color, 
from  trembling  and  shivering  both  for  him  who  administers,  and  for  him 
who  takes  the  oath.  Miserable  wretch  ! to  secure  to  thyself  a doubt- 
ful sum  of  money,  thou  losest  thy  soul  ? Can  the  benefit  thou  reap- 
est,  be  put  in  competition  with  thine  and  thy  brother’s  loss  ? If 
thou  knowest,  that  he  from  whom  thou  exactest  an  oath  is  a good 
man,  why  then  art  thou  not  contented  with  his  word  ? But  if  he  is 
not,  why  dost  thou  force  him  to  forswear  himself? — Chrysostom 
against  oaths.  Homil.  xv.  ad  Pop.  Antioch. 


158  DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE^ 

had  a great  sagacity  in  the  conduct  of  souls.  There  is  noth- 
ing more  eloquent  thah  his  epistle  to  a virgin  that  had  fall- 
en ; in  my  opinion-it  is  a master-piece.  But  now  if  a preach- 
er should  not  have  formed  his  taste  in  these  matters  before 
he  studies  the  fathers,  he  will  be  in  danger  of  copying  the 
most  inaccurate  parts  of  their  works,  and  may  perhaps 
imitate  their  chief  defects  in  the  sermons  he  composes. 

C,  But  how  long  continued  this  false  eloquence  which  suc- 
ceeded the  true  kind  ? 

A,  Till  now. 

C,  What  do  you  mean  ? Till  now  ? 

A.  Yes,  till  now  for  we  have  not  yet  corrected  our  taste 
of  eloquence,  so  much  as  we  imagine.  You  will  soon  per- 
ceive the  reason  of  it.  The  barbarous  nations  that  overran 
the  Roman  empire,  did  spread  ignorance  and  a bad  taste  ev- 
erywhere. Now,  we  descended  from  them.  And  though 
learning  began  to  revive  in  the  fifteenth  century,  it  recover- 
ed then  but  slowly.  It  was  with  great  difficulty  that  we  were 
brought  by  degrees  to  have  any  relish  of  a right  manner,  and 
even  now,  how  many  are  there  who  have  no  notion  of  it. 
However,  we  ought  to  show  a due  respect  not  only  to  the  fa- 
thers, but  to  other  pious  authors,  who  wrote  during  this  long 
interval  of  ignorance.  From  them  we  learn  the  traditions  of 
their  time,  and  several  other  useful  instructions.  I am  quite 
ashamed  of  giving  my  judgment  so  freely  on  this  point,  but, 
gentlemen,  you  desired  me  And  I shall  be  very  ready  to 
own  my  mistakes,  if  any  one  will  undeceive  me.  But  it  is  time 
to  put  an  end  to  this  conversation. 

C.  We  cannot  part  with  you,  till  you  give  us  your  opinion 
about  the  manner  of  choosing  a text. 

A,  You  know  very  well  that  the  use  of  texts  arose  from 
the  ancient  custom  that  preachers  observed,  in  not  delivering 
their  own  reflections  to  the  people,  but  only  explaining  the 
words  of  the  sacred  text.  However,  by  degrees  they  came 
to  leave  off  this  way  of  expounding  the  whole  words  of  the 
gospel  that  was  appointed  for  the  day ; and  discoursed  only 
upon  one  part  of  it,  which  they  called  the  text  of  the  sermon. 
Now  if  a preacher  does  not  make  an  exact  explication  of  the 
whole  gospel,  or  epistle,  he  ought  at  least  to  choose  those 
words  that  are  most  important,  and  best  suited  to  the  wants 
and  • capacities  of  the  people.  He  ought  to  explain  them 
well ; and  to  give  a right  notion  of  what  is  meant  by  a single 
word,  it  is  ofttimes  necessary  to  expound  many  others  in  the 


DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


159 


context.  But  there  should  be  nothing  refined  or  far-fetched 
in  such  instructions.  It  must  look  Tery  strange  and  awk- 
ward in  a preacher  to  set  np  for  wit  and  delicacy  of  inven- 
tion, when  he  ought  to  speak  with  the  utmost  seriousness  and 
gravity  ; out  of  regard  to  the  authority  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
whose  words  he  borrows. 

C,  I must  confess  I always  disliked  a forced  text.  Have 
you  not  observed  that  a preacher  draws  from  a text,  whatev- 
er sermon  he  pleases  ? He  insensibly  warps  and  bends  his 
subject,  to  make  the  text  fit  the  sermon  that  he  has  occasion 
to  preach.  This  is  frequently  done  in  the  time  of  Lent.  I 
cannot  approve  of  it. 

B.  Before  we  conclude,  I must  beg  of  you  to  satisfy  me  as 
to  one  point  that  still  puzzles  me,  and  after  that  we  will  let 
you  go. 

A.  Come,  then;  let  us  hear  what -it  is.  I have  a great 
mind  to  satisfy  you  if  I can.  For  I heartily  wish  you  would 
employ  your  parts " in  making  plain  and  persuasive  ser- 
mons. 

B.  You  would  have  a preacher  explain  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures with  connection,  according  to  the  obvious  sense  of 
them. 

A.  Yes ; that  would  be  an  excellent  method. 

B,  Whence  then  did  it  proceed  that  the  fathers  interpret- 
ed the  Scripture  quite  otherwise  ? They  usually  give  a spi- 
ritual, and  allegorical  meaning  to  the  sacred  text.  Read  St. 
Austin,  St.  Ambrose,  St.  Jerome,  Origen  and  others  of  the 
fathers;  they  find  mysteries  everywhere,  and  seldom  regard 
the  letter  of  the  Scripture. 

A.  The  Jews  that  lived  in  our  Saviour’s  days  abounded  in 
these  mysterious,  allegorical  interpretations.  It  seems  that 
the  Therapeutae,  who  lived  chiefly  at  Alexandria,  (and  whom 
Philo  reckoned  to  be  philosophical  Jews,  though  Eusebius 
supposes  they  were  primitive  Christians,)  were  extremely  ad- 
dicted to  these  mystical  interpretations.  And  indeed  it  was 
in  the  city  of  Alexandria,  that  allegories  began  to  appear  with 
credit  among  Christians.  Origen  was  the  first  of  the  fathers 
who  forsook  the  literal  sense  of  Scripture.  You  know  what 
disturbance  he  occasioned  in  the  church.  Piety  itself  seem- 
ed to  recommend  these  allegorical  interpretations.  And  be- 
sides, there  is  something  in  them  very  agreeable,  ingenious 
and  edifying.  Most  of  the  fathers,  to  gratify  the  humor  of 
the  people,  (and  probably  their  own  too,)  made  great  use  of 


160  DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 

them.  But  they  kept  faithfully  to  the  literal  and  the  pro- 
phetical sense,  (which  in  its  kind  is  literal  too,)  in  all  points 
where  they  had  occasion  to  show  the  foundations  of  the  Chris- 
tian doctrine.  When  the  people  were  fully  instructed  in  ev- 
erything they  could  learn  from  the  letter  of  Scripture,  the  fa- 
thers gave  them  those  mystical  interpretations,  to  edify  and 
comfort  them.  These  explications  were  exactly  adapted  to 
the  relish  of  the  Eastern  people,  among  whom  they  first  arose  ; 
for  they  are  naturally  fond  of  mysterious  and  allegorical  lan- 
guage. They  were  the  more  delighted  with  this  variety  of 
interpretations,  because  of  the  frequent  preaching,  and  al- 
most constant  reading  of  Scripture,  which  was  used  in  the 
church.  But  among  us  the  people  are  far  less  instructed  ; 
we  must  do  what  is  most  necessary,  and  begin  with  the  lite- 
ral sense,  without  despising  the  pious  explications  that  the 
fathers  gave.  We  must  take  care  of  providing  our  daily 
bread,  before  we  seek  after  delicacies.  In  interpreting  Scrip- 
ture, we  cannot  do  better  than  to  imitate  the  solidity  of  St. 
Chrysostom.  Most  of  our  modern  preachers  do  not  study  al- 
legorical meanings,  because  they  have  sufficiently  explained 
the  literal  sense  ; but  they  forsake  it,  because  they  do  not  per- 
ceive its  grandeur,  and  reckon  it  dry  and  barren  in  compari- 
son of  their  way  of  preaching.  But  we  have  all  the  truths 
and  duties  of  religion  in  the  letter  of  the  Scripture,  delivered 
not  only  with  authority,  and  a singular  beauty,  but  with  an 
inexhaustible  variety ; so  that,  without  having  recourse  to 
mystical  interpretations,  a preacher  may  always,  have  a great 
number  of  new  and  noble  things  to  say.  It  is  a deplorable 
thing  to  see  how  much  this  sacred  treasure  is  neglected,  even 
by  those  who  have  it  always  in  their  hands.  If  the  clergy  ap- 
plied themselves  to  the  ancient  way  of  making  homilies,  we 
should  then  have  two  different  sorts  of  preachers.  They  who 
have  no  vivacity,  or  a poetical  genius,  would  explain  the 
Scriptures  clearly,  without  imitating  its  lively,  noble  manner  ; 
and  if  they  expounded  the  word  of  God  judiciously,  and  sup- 
ported their  doctrine  by  an  exemplary  life,  they  would  be  very 
good  preachers.  They  would  have  what  St.  Ambrose  re- 
quires, a chaste,  simple,  clear  style,  full  of  weight  and  gravi- 
ty ; without  affecting  elegance,  or  despising  the  smoothness 
and  graces  of  language.  The  other  sort,  having  a poetical 
turn  of  mind,  would  explain  the  Scripture  in  its  own  style 
and  figure,  and  by  that  means  become  accomplished  preach- 
ers. One  sort  would  instruct  people  with  clearness,  force 


t)IALO(JUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 


161 


and  dijrnity;  and  the  other  would  add  to  this  powerful  in- 
struction, the  sublimity,  the  enthusiasm,  and  vehemence  of 
Scripture;  so  that  it  would  (if  I may  so  say)  be  entire  and 
living  ill  them,  as  much  as  it  can  be  in  men  who  are  not  mi- 
raculously inspired  from  above. 

B.  Oh,  Sir;  I had  almost  forgotten  an  important  article. 
Have  a moment’s  patience,  I beseech  you;  a few  words  will 
satisfy  me. 

A.  What  now  ? Have  you  anybody  else  to  censure  ? 

B.  Yes;  the  panegyrists.  Do  you  think  that  when  they 
praise  a saint,  they  ought  so  to  give  his  character,  as  to  reduce 
all  his  actions  and  all  his  virtues  to  one  point  ? 

A,  That  shows  the  orator’s  invention  and  refined  sense. 

B.  I understand  you.  It  seems  you  do  not  like  that  me- 
thod. 

A.  I think  it  wrong  in  most  cases.  He  must  put  a force 
upon  things,  who  reduces  them  all  to  a single  point.  There 
are  many  actions  of  one’s  life  that  flow  from  divers  principles, 
and  plainly  show  that  he  possessed  very  different  qualities. 
The  way  of  referring  all  the  steps  of  a man’s  conduct  to  one 
cause,  is  but  a scholastic  subtilty,  which  shows  that  the  ora- 
tor is  far  from  knowing  human  nature.  The  true  way  to 
draw  a just  character,  is  to  paint  the  whole  man,  and  to  set 
him  before  the  hearer’s  eyes,  speaking  and  acting.  In  de- 
scribing the  course  of  his  life,  the  preacher  should  chiefly 
point  out  those  passages  wherein  either  his  natural  temper  or 
his  piety  best  appeared.  But  there  should  always  be  some- 
thing left  to  the  hearer’s  own  observation.  The  best  way  of 
praising  holy  persons  is  to  recount  their  laudable  actions. 
This  gives  a body  and  force  to  a panegyric ; this  is  what  in- 
structs people,  and  makes  an  impression  upon  their  minds. 
But  it  frequently  happens  that  they  return  home  without  know- 
ing anything  of  a person’s  life,  about  whom  they  have  heard  an 
hour’s  discourse;  or  at  least,  they  have  heard  many  remarks 
upon  a few  separate  facts,  related  without  any  connection. 
On  the  contrary,  a preacher  ought  to  paint  a person  to  the 
life,  and  show  wh  ;t  he  was  in  every  period,  in  every  condition, 
and  in  the  most  remarkable  junctures  of  his  life.  This  could 
not  hinder  one  from  forming  a character  of  him  ; nay,  it 
might  be  better  collected  from  his  actions,  and  his  words, 
th  an  from  general  thoughts,  and  imaginary  designs. 

B.  You  would  choose  then  to  give  the  history  of  a holy 
person’s  life,  and  not  make  a panegyric. 

14* 


162  DIALOGUES  CONCERNING  ELOQUENCE. 

A.  No;  you  mistake  me.  I would  not  make  a simple  nar- 
ration. I should  think  it  enough  to  give  a coherent  view  of 
the  chief  facts  in  a concise,  lively,  close,  pathetic  manner. 
Everything  should  help  to  give  a just  idea  of  the  holy  person 
I praised,  and  at  the  same  time  to  give  proper  instruction  to 
the  hearers.  To  this  I would  add  such  moral  reflections,  as 
I should  think  most  suitable.  Now  do  not  you  think  that 
such  a discourse  as  this  would  have  a noble  and  amiable  sim- 
plicity ? Do  not  you  believe  that  the  lives  of  holy  people 
would  be  better  understood  this  way,  and  an  audience  be 
more  edified  than  they  generally  are?  Do  you  not  think 
that  according  to  the  rules  of  eloquence  we  laid  down,  such 
a discourse  would  even  be  more  eloquent  than  those  over- 
strained panegyrics  that  are  commonly  made  ? 

JB,  I am  of  opinion  that  such  sermons  as  you  speak  of 
would  be  as  instructive,  as  affecting,  and  as  agreeable  as  any 
other.  I am  now  satisfied,  Sir ; it  is  time  to  release  you.  I 
hope  the  pains  you  have  taken  with  me  will  not  be  lost ; for 
I have  resolved  to  part  with  all  my  modern  collections  and 
Italian  wits,  and  in  a serious  manner  to  study  the  whole  con- 
nection and  principles  of  religion,  by  tracing  them  back  to 
their  source. 

C.  Farewell,  Sir ; the  best  acknowledgment  I can  make, 
is  to  assure  you  that  I will  have  a great  regard  to  what  you 
have  said. 

A.  Gentlemen,  good  night.  I will  leave  you  with  these 
words  of  St.  Jerome  to  Nepotian  : ‘ When  you  teach  in  the 
church,  do  not  endeavor  to  draw  applause,  but  rather  sighs 
and  groans  from  the  people ; let  their  tears  praise  you.i  The 
discourses  of  a clergyman  should  be  full  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
ture. Be  not  a declaimer,  but  a true  teacher  of  the  mysteries 
of  God. 


' “ When  you  observe  a hearer  in  silence,  not  uttering  a word,  but 
sorrowful,  dejected,  thoughtful,  and  in  this  condition  returning 
straight  home,  and  by  his  conduct,  displaying  the  fruits  of  preaching, 
you  ought  to  make  more  account  of  such  a one,  than  of  him  who 
crowns  the  preacher  with  praise  and  applause.” — Ostervald’s  Led,  vi. 


THE 


COUNTRY  PARSON: 


HIS 


CHARACTER  AND  RULE  OF  HOLY  LIFE. 


THE  AUTHOR,  MR.  GEORGE  HERBERT. 


THE  AUTHOR  TO  THE  READER. 


Being  desirous,  through  the  mercy  of  God,  to  please  him,  for 
whom  I am  and  live,  and  who  giveth  me  my  desires  and  perform- 
ances ; and  considering  with  myself,  that  the  way  to  please  him  is  to 
feed  my  flock  diligently  and  faithfully,  since  our  Saviour  hath  made 
that  the  argument  of  a pastor’s  love  ; I have  resolved  to  set  down  the 
form  and  character  of  a true  pastor,  that  1 may  have  a mark  to  aim 
at : which  also  I will  set  as  high  as  I can,  since  he  shoots  higher  that 
threatens  the  moon,  than  he  that  aims  at  a tree.  Not  that  I think,  if 
a man  do  not  all  which  is  here  expressed,  he  presently  sins,  and  dis- 
pleases God;  but  that  it  is  a good  strife  to  go  as  far  as  we  can  in 
pleasing  of  him,  who  hath  done  so  much  for  us.  The  Lord  prosper 
the  intention  to  myself,  and  others,  who  may  not  despise  my  poor 
labors,  but  add  to  those  points  which  1 have  observed,  until  the  book 
grow  to  a complete  pastoral. 

George  Herbert. 

1632. 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


CHAPTER  I. 

OF  A PASTOR. 

A Pastor  is  the  deputy  of  Christ,  for  the  reducing  of  man 
to  the  obedience  of  God.  This  definition  is  evident,  and 
contains  the  direct  steps  of  pastoral  duty  and  authority.  For 
first,  man  fell  from  God  by  disobedience.  Secondly,  Christ 
is  the  glorious  instrument  of  God  for  the  revoking  of  man. 
Thirdly,  Christ  being  not  to  continue  on  earth,  but,  after  he 
had  fulfilled  the  work  of  reconciliation,  to  be  received  up 
into  heaven,  he  constituted  deputies  in  his  place,  and  these 
are  priests.  And  therefore  St.  Paul  in  the  beginning  of  his 
epistles,  professeth  this;  and,  in  the  first  to  the  Collossians 
plainly  avoucheth,  that  he  Jills  up  that  which  is  behind  of 
the  afflictions  of  Christ  in  his  flesh,  for  his  hodfs  sake^ 
which  is  the  church ; wherein  is  contained  the  complete  de- 
finition of  a minister. 

Out  of  this  charter  of  the  priesthood  may  be  plainly  gath* 
ered  both  the  dignity  thereof,  and  the  duty.  The  dignity, 
in  that  a priest  may  do  that  which  Christ  did,  and  by  his 
authority,  and  as  his  vicegerent,  The  duty,  in  that  a priest 
is  to  do  that  which  Christ  did,  and  after  his  manner,  both 
for  doctrine  and  life. 


CHAPTEE  II. 

THEIR  DIVERSITIES. 

Of  Pastors,  (intending  mine  own  nation  only,  and  also 
therein  setting  aside  the  Right  Reverend  Prelates  of  the 
church,  to  whom  this  discourse  ariseth  not,)  some  live  in  the 


166 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


universities,  some  in  noble  houses,  some  in  parishes,  resid- 
ing on  their  cures. 

Of  those  that  Jive  in  the  universities,  some  live  there  in 
office,  whose  rule  is  that  of  the  apostle,  Rom.  12:  6;  Hav- 
ing gifts  differing  according  to  the  grace  that  is  given  to  us, 
whether  prophecy,  let  us  prophesy  according  to  the  propor- 
tion of  faith;  or  ministry,  let  us  wait  on  our  ministering; 
or  he  that  teacheth,  on  teaching,  etc.,  he  that  I'uleth,  let  him 
do  it  with  diligence,  etc.  Some  in  a preparatory  way,  whose 
aim  and  labor  must  be  not  only  to  get  knowledge,  but  to 
subdue  and  mortify  all  lusts  and  affections;  and  not  to  think 
that,  when  they  have  read  the  fathers  or  schoolmen,  a minis- 
ter is  made  and  the  thing  done.  The  greatest  and  hardest 
preparation  is  within ; for  : unto  the  ungodly  saith  God,  why 
dost  thou  preach  my  laws,  and  takest  my  covenant  in  thy 
mouth  ? Ps.  50:  16. 

Those  that  live  in  noble  houses  are  called  chaplains,  whose 
duty  and  obligation  being  the  same  to  the  houses  they  live 
in,  as  a parson’s  to  his  parish,  in  describing  the  one,  (which 
is  indeed  the  bent  of  my  discourse,)  the  other  will  be  mani- 
fest. Let  not  chaplains  think  themselves  so  free  as  many  of 
them  do,  and,  because  they  have  different  names,  think  their 
office  different.  Doubtless  they  are  parsons  of  the  families 
they  live  in,  and  are  entertained  to  that  end,  either  by  an 
open  or  implicit  covenant.  Before  they  are  in  orders,  they 
may  be  received  for  companions  or  discoursers;  but  after  a 
man  is  once  minister,  he  cannot  agree  to  come  into  any 
house  where  he  shall  not  exercise  what  he  is,  unless  he  for- 
sake his  plough  and  look  back.  Wherefore  they  are  not  to 
be  over-submissive,  and  base  but  to  keep  up  with  the  lord 
and  lady  of  the  house,  and  to  preserve  a boldness  with  them 
and  all,  even  so  far  as  reproof  to  their  very  face,  when  occa- 
sion calls,  but  seasonably  and  discreetly.  They  who  do  not 
thus,  while  they  remember  their  earthly  lord,  do  much  forget 
their  heavenly ; they  wrong  the  priesthood,  neglect  their 
duty,  and  shall  be  so  far  from  that  which  they  seek  with  their 
over-submissiveness  and  cringing  that  they  shall  ever  be  des- 
pised. They  who  for  the  hope  of  promotion  neglect  any 
necessary  admonition  or  reproof,  sell  with  Judas  their  Lord 
and  Master. 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


167 


CHAPTER  III 
THE  parson's  life. 

The  Country  Parson  is  exceeding  exact  in  his  life,  being 
holy,  just,  prudent,  temperate,  bold,  grave  in  all  his  ways. 
And  because  the  two  highest  points  of  life,  wherein  a Chris- 
tian  is  most  seen,  are  patience  and  mortification ; patience 
in  regard  of  afflictions,  mortification  in  regard  of  lusts  and 
affections,  and  the  stupefying  and  deadening  of  all  the  cla- 
morous powers  of  the  soul;  therefore  he  hath  thoroughly 
studied  these,  that  he  may  be  an  absolute  master  and  com- 
mander of  himself,  for  all  the  purposes  which  God  hath  or- 
dained him. 

Yet  in  these  points  he  labors  most  in  those  things  which 
are  most  apt  to  scandalize  his  parish.  And  first,  because 
country  people  live  hardly  and  therefore,  as  feeling  their  own 
sweat  and  consequently  knowing  the  price  of  money,  are  of- 
fended much  with  any  who  by  hard  usage  increase  their 
travail,  the  country  parson  is  very  circumspect  in  avoiding 
all  covetousness,  neither  being  greedy  to  get,  nor  niggardly 
to  keep,  nor  troubled  to  lose  any  worldly  wealth ; but  in  all 
his  words  and  actions  slighting  and  disesteeming  it,  even  to 
a wondering  that  the  world  should  so  much  value  wealth, 
which  in  the  day  of  wrath  hath  not  one  drachm  of  comfort 
for  us.  Secondly,  because  luxury  is  a very  visible  sin,  the 
parson  is  very  careful  to  avoid  all  the  kinds  thereof,  but  es- 
pecially that  of  drinking,  because  it  is  the  most  popular  vice ; 
into  which  if  he  come,  he  prostitutes  himself  both  to  shame 
and  sin,  and,  by  fellowship  with  the  unfruitful  works 

of  darkness,  he  disableth  himself  of  authority  to  reprove 
them;  for  sins  make  all  equal  whom  they  find  together,  and 
then  they  are  worst,  who  ought  to  be  best.  Neither  is  it  for 
the  servant  of  Christ  to  haunt  inns  or  taverns  or  alehouses, 
to  the  dishonor  of  his  person  and  office.  The  parson  doth 
not  so,  but  orders  his  life  in  such  a fashion,  that,  when  death 
takes  him,  as  the  Jews  and  Judas  did  Christ,  he  may  say  as 
he  did,  / sat  daily  with  you  teaching  in  the  temple.  Thirdly, 
because  country  people,  as  indeed  all  honest  men,  do  much 
esteem  their  word,  it  being  the  life  of  buying  and  selling  and 
dealing  in  the  world ; therefore  the  parson  is  very  strict  m 
keeping  his  word,  though  it  be  to  his  own  hindrance ; as 
knowing  that,  if  he  be  not  so,  he  will  quickly  be  discover- 


168 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


ed  and  disregarded  ; neither  will  they  believe  him  in  the  pul- 
pit, whom  they  cannot  trust  in  his  conversation.  As  for 
oaths,  and  apparel,  the  disorders  thereof  are  also  very  mani- 
fest. The  parson’s  yea  is  yea,  and  nay,  nay;  and  his] appar- 
el plain,  but  reverend,  and  clean,  without  spots  or  dust  or 
smell ; the  purity  of  his  mind  breaking  out,  and  dilating  it- 
self even  to  his  body,  clothes  and  habitation. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  parson’s  knowledge. 

The  Country  Parson  is  full  of  all  knowledge.  They  say, 
it  is  an  ill  mason  that  refuseth  any  stone;  and  there  is  no 
knowledge,  but,  in  a skilful  hand,  serves  either  positively  as 
it  is,  or  else  to  illustrate  some  other  knowledge.  He  conde- 
scends even  to  the  knowledge  of  tillage  and  pasturage,  and 
makes  great  use  of  them  in  teaching;  because  people  by 
what  they  understand,  are  best  led  to  what  they  understand 
not. 

But  the  chief  and  top  of  his  knowledge  consists  in  the 
book  of  books,  the  storehouse  and  magazine  of  life  and  com- 
fort, THE  Holy  Scriptures.  There  he  sucks,  and  lives. 
In  the  Scriptures  he  finds  four  things;  precepts  for  life,  doc- 
trines for  knowledge,  examples  for  illustration,  and  promises 
for  comfort.  These  he  hath  digested  severally. 

But  for  the  understanding  of  these,  the  means  he  useth 
are  first,  a holy  life  ; remembering  what  his  Master  saith, 
that  if  any  do  God^s  will,  he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine,  John 
vii. ; and  assuring  himself,  that  wicked  men,  however  learn- 
ed, do  not  know  the  Scriptures,  because  they  feel  them  not, 
and  because  they  are  not  understood  but  with  the  same 
Spirit  that  writ  them.  The  second  means  is  prayer  ; which, 
if  it  be  necessary  even  in  temporal  things,  how  much  more 
in  things  of  another  world,  where  the  well  is  deep,  and  we 
have  nothing  of  ourselves  to  draw  ivith  ? Wherefore  he 
ever  begins  the  rending  of  the  Scripture  with  some  short 
inward  ejaculation  ; diS,  Lord  open  mine  eyes,  that  I may  see 
the  wondrous  things  of  thy  law.  The  third  means  is  a dili- 
gent COLLATION  of  Scripture  with  Scripture.  For,  all  truth 
being  consonant  to  itself,  and  all  being  penned  by  one  and 
the  self-same  Spirit,  it  cannot  be  but  that  an  industrious  and 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


169 


judicious  comparing  of  place  with  place,  must  be  a singular 
help  for  the  right  understanding  of  the  Scriptures.  To  this 
may  be  added,  the  consideration  of  any  text  with  the  cohe- 
rence thereof,  touching  what  goes  before,  and  what  follows 
after;  as  also  the  scope  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  When  the 
apostles  would  have  called  down  fire  from  heaven,  they  were 
reproved,  as  ignorant  of  what  spirit  they  were.  For  the  law 
required  one  thing,  and  the  gospel  another,  yet  as  diverse,  not 
as  repugnant ; therefore  the  spirit  of  both  is  to  be  consider- 
ed and  weighed.  The  fourth  means  are  commenters  and 
FATHERS,  who  have  handled  the  places  controverted  ; which: 
the  parson  by  no  means  refuseth.  As  he  doth  not  so  study 
others  as  to  neglect  the  grace  of  God  in  himself,  and  what 
the  Holy  Spirit  teacheth  him,  so  doth  he  assure  himself,  that 
God  in  all  ages  hath  had  his  servants,  to  whom  he  hath  re- 
vealed his  truth,  as  well  as  to  him ; and  that  as  one  country 
doth  not  bear  all  things,  that  there  may  be  a commerce,  so 
neither  hath  God  opened,  or  will  open,  all  to  one,  that  there 
may  be  a traffic  in  knowledge  between  the  servants  of  God,  for 
the  planting  both  of  love  and  humility.  Wherefore  he  hath 
one  comment,  at  least,  upon  every  book  of  Scripture,  and, 
ploughing  with  this  and  his  own  meditations,  he  enters  into 
the  secrets  of  God  treasured  in  the  Holy  Scripture. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  parson’s  accessary  KNOWLEDGES. 

The  Country  Parson  hath  read  the  fathers  also,  and  the 
schoolmen,  and  the  later  writers,  or  a good  proportion  of  all, 
out  of  all  which  he  hath  compiled  a book,  and  body  of  divinity, 
which  is  the  storehouse  of  his  sermons,  and  which  he  preach- 
eth  all  his  life,  but  diversely  clothed,  illustrated  and  enlarged. 
For  though  the  world  is  full  of  such  composures,  yet  every 
man’s  own  is  fittest,  readiest  and  most  savory  to  him.  Be- 
sides, this  being  to  be  done  in  his  younger  and  preparatory 
times,  it  is  an  honest  joy  ever  after  to  look  upon  his  well- 
spent  hours. 

This  body  he  made,  by  way  of  expounding  the  church 
catechism,  to  which  all  divinity  may  easily  be  reduced. 
For,  it  being  indifferent  in  itself  to  choose  any  method,  that 
is  best  to  be  chosen  of  which  there  is  likeliest  to  be  most  use. 

15 


170 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


Now  catechising  being  a work  of  singular  and  admirable 
benefit  to  the  church  of  God,  and  a thing  required  under 
canonical  obedience,  the  expounding  of  our  catechism  must 
needs  be  the  most  useful  form.  Yet  hath  the  parson,  besides 
this  laborious  work,  a slighter  form  of  catechising,  fitter  for 
country  people;  according  as  his  audience  is,  so  he  useth 
one,  or  other ; or  sometimes  both,  if  his  audience  be  inter- 
mixed. 

He  greatly  esteems  also  of  cases  of  conscience ; wherein 
he  is  much  versed.  And  indeed,  herein  is  the  greatest  abili- 
ty of  a parson  ; to  lead  his  people  exactly  in  the  ways  of 
truth,  so  that  they  neither  decline  to  the  right  hand  nor  to 
the  left.  Neither  let  any  think  this  a slight  thing.  For 
every  one  hath  not  digested,  when  it  is  a sin  to  take  some- 
thing for  money  lent,  or  when  not ; when  it  is  fault  to  dis- 
cover another’s  fault,  or  when  not ; when  the  affections  of 
the  soul  in  desiring  and  procuring  increase  of  means  or 
honor,  be  a sin  of  covetousness  or  ambition,  and  when  not ; 
when  the  appetites  of  the  body  in  eating,  drinking,  sleep, 
and  the  pleasure  that  comes  with  sleep,  be  sins  of  gluttony, 
drunkenness,  sloth,  lust,  and  when  not ; and  so  in  many  cir- 
cumstances of  actions.  Now  if  a shepherd  know  not  which 
grass  will  bane,  or  which  not,  how  is  he  fit  to  be  a shepherd  ? 
Wherefore  the  parson  hath  thoroughly  canvassed  all  the  par- 
ticulars of  human  actions ; at  least  all  those  which  he  ob- 
serveth  are  most  incident  to  his  parish. 


CIIAPTEE  VI. 

THE  PARSON  PRAYING. 

The  Country  Parson,  when  he  is  to  read  divine  services, 
composeth  himself  to  all  possible  reverence ; lifting  up  his 
heart,  and  hands,  and  eyes,  and  using  all  other  gestures 
which  may  express  a hearty  and  unfeigned  devotion.  This 
he  doth,  first,  as  being  truly  touched  and  amazed  with  the 
majesty  of  God,  before  whom  he  then  presents  himself;  yet 
not  as  himself  alone,  but  as  presenting  with  himself  the 
whole  congregation,  whose  sins  he  then  bears,  and  brings 
with  his  own  to  the  heavenly  altar,  to  be  bathed  and  washed 
in  the  sacred  laver  of  Christ’s  blood.  Secondly,  as  this  is 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


171 


the  true  reason  of  his  inward  fear,  so  he  is  content  to  express 
this  outwardly  to  the  utmost  of  his  power  ; that,  being  first 
affected  himself,  he  may  affect  also  his  people ; knowing  that 
no  sermon  moves  them  so  much  to  a reverence  (which  they 
forget  again  when  they  come  to  pray),  as  a devout  behavior 
in  the  very  act  of  praying.  Accordingly  his  voice  is  humble, 
his  words  treatable  and  slow ; yet  not  so  slow  neither,  as  to 
let  the  fervency  of  the  supplicant  hang  and  die  between 
speaking ; but,  with  a grave  liveliness,  between  fear  and 
zeal,  pausing  yet  pressing,  he  performs  his  duty. 

Besides  his  example,  he,  having  often  instructed  his  people 
how  to  carry  themselves  in  divine  service,  exacts  of  them  all 
possible  reverence  ; by  no  means  enduring  either  talking  or 
sleeping  or  gazing  or  leaning  or  half-kneeling  or  any  un- 
dutiful  behavior  in  them,  but  causing  them,  when  they  sit 
or  stand  or  kneel,  to  do  all  in  a straight  and  steady  posture, 
as  attending  to  what  is  done  in  the  church,  and  every  one, 
man  and  child,  answering  aloud,  both  Amen,  and  all  other 
answers  which  are  on  the  clerk’s  and  people’s  part  to  answer. 
Which  answers  also  are  to  be  done,  not  in  a huddling  or 
slubbering  fashion,  gaping  or  scratching  the  head  or  spitting, 
even  in  the  midst  of  their  answer,  but  gently  and  pausably, 
thinking  what  they  say;  so  that  while  they  answer  “ As  it 
was  in  the  beginning,”  etc.,  they  meditate  as  they  speak, 
that  God  hath  ever  had  his  people  that  have  glorified  him,  as 
well  as  now,  and  that  he  shall  have  so  for  ever.  And  the 
like  in  other  answers.  This  is  that  which  the  apostle  calls  a 
reasonable  service,  Rom.  xii,  when  we  speak  not  as  parrots 
without  reason,  or  offer  up  such  sacrifices  as  they  did  of  old, 
which  was  of  beasts  devoid  of  reason;  but  when  we  use  our 
reason,  and  apply  our  powers  to  the  service  of  him  that  gives 
them. 

If  there  be  any  of  the  gentry  or  nobility  of  the  parish,  who 
sometimes  make  it  a piece  of  state  not  to  come  at  the  begin- 
ning of  service  with  their  poor  neighbors,  but  at  mid-prayers, 
-both  to  their  own  loss,  and  of  theirs  also  who  gaze  upon 
them  when  they  come  in,  and  neglect  the  present  service  of 
God ; he  by  no  means  suffers  it,  but  after  divers  gentle  ad- 
monitions, if  they  persevere,  he  causes  them  to  be  presented. 
Or  if  the  poor  church-wardens  be  affrighted  with  their  great- 
ness, (notwithstanding  his  instruction  that  they  ought  not  to 
be  so,  but  even  to  let  the  world  sink,  so  they  do  their  duty,) 
he  presents  them  himself ; only  protesting  to  them,  that  not 


172 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


any  ill-will  draws  him  to  it,  but  the  debt  and  obligation  of  his 
calling,  being  to  obey  God  rather  than  men. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  PARSON  PREACHING. 

The  Country  Parson  preacheth  constantly.  The  pulpit 
is  his  joy  and  his  throne.  If  he  at  any  time  intermit,  it  is 
either  for  want  of  health;  or  against  some  festival,  that  he 
may  the  better  celebrate  it ; or  for  the  variety  of  the  hearers, 
that  he  may  be  heard  at  his  return  more  attentively.  When 
he  intermits,  he  is  ever  very  well  supplied  by  some  able  man  ; 
who  treads  in  his  steps,  and  will  not  throw  down  what  he 
hath  built ; whom  also  he  entreats  to  press  some  point  that 
he  himself  hath  often  urged  with  no  great  success,  that  so  in 
the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses  the  truth  may  be  more  es- 
tablished. 

When  he  preacheth,  he  procures  attention  by  all  possible 
art,  both  by  earnestness  of  speech,  it  being  natural  to  men  to 
think,  that  where  is  much  earnestness,  there  is  somewhat 
worth  hearing,  and  by  a diligent  and  busy  cast  of  his  eye  on 
his  auditors ; with  letting  them  know  that  he  observes  who 
marks  and  who  not ; and  with  particularizing  of  his  speech 
now  to  the  younger  sort,  then  to  the  elder,  now  to  the  poor, 
and  now  to  the  rich — ‘‘  This  is  for  you,  and  this  is  for  you  f 
— for  particulars  ever  touch  and  awake,  more  than  generals. 
Herein  also  he  serves  himself  of  the  judgments  of  God  ; as  of 
those  of  ancient  times,  so  especially  of  the  late  ones,  and  those 
most,  which  are  nearest  to  his  parish;  for  people  are  very 
attentive  at  such  discourses,  and  think  it  behoves  them  to  be 
so,  when  God  is  so  near  them,  and  even  over  their  heads. 
Sometimes  he  tells  them  stories  and  sayings  of  others,  ac- 
cording as  his  text  invites  him ; for  them  also  men  heed,  and 
remember  better  than  exhortations ; which,  though  earnest, 
yet  often  die  with  the  sermon,  especially  with  country  people ; 
which  are  thick  and  heavy  and  hard  to  raise  to  a point  of  zeal 
and  fervency,  and  need  a mountain  of  fire  to  kindle  them  ; 
but  stories  and  sayings  they  will  wellf  remember.  He  often 
tells  them,  that  sermons  are  dangerous  things ; that  none 
goes  out  of  church  as  he  came  in,  but  either  better  or  worse  ; 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


173 


that  none  is  careless  before  his  judge,  and  that  the  word  of 
God  shall  judge  us. 

By  these  and  other  means  the  parson  procures  attention ; 
but  the  character  of  his  sermon  is  holiness.  He  is  not 
witty  or  learned  or  eloquent,  but  holy  : — a character  that 
Hermogenes  never  dreamed  of,  and  therefore  he  could  give 
no  precepts  thereof.  But  it  is  gained,  first,  by  choosing 
texts  of  devotion,  not  controversy;  moving  and  ravishing 
texts,  whereof  the  Scriptures  are  full.  Secondly,  by  dipping 
and  seasoning  all  our  words  and  sentences  in  our  hearts 
before  they  come  into  our  mouths ; truly  affecting,  and 
cordially  expressing  all  that  we  say  : so  that  the  auditors  may 
plainly  perceive  that  every  word  is  heart  deep.  Thirdly,  by 
turning  often,  and  making  many  apostrophes  to  God  ; as, 
O Lord!  bless  my  people,  and  teach  them  this  point!’’  or, 
“ O my  Master,  on  whose  errand  I come,  let  me  hold  my 
peace,  and  do  thou  speak  thyself ; for  thou  art  love,  and 
when  thou  teachest,  all  are  scholars.”  Some  such  irradia- 
tions scatteringly  in  the  sermon,  carry  great  holiness  in  them. 
The  prophets  are  admirable  in  this.  So  Isa.  Ixiv. ; Oh^  that 
thou  wouldest  rend  the  heavens,  that  thou  ivouldest  come  down, 
etc.  And  Jeremiah,  chap,  x,  after  he  had  complained  of  the 
desolation  of  Israel,  turns  to  God  suddenly,  O Lord  ! I know 
that  the  way  of  man  is  not  in  himself,  etc.  Fourthly,  by 
frequent  wishes  of  the  people’s  good,  and  joying  therein; 
though  he  himself  were,  with  St.  Paul,  even  sacr^ced  upon 
the  service  of  their  faith.  For  there  is  no  greater  sign  of  ho- 
liness, than  the  procuring  and  rejoicing  in  another’s  good. 
And  herein  St.  Paul  excelled,  in  all  his  epistles.  How  did 
he  put  the  Romans  in  all  his  prayers^  Rom.  J:  9 ; and  ceased 
not  to  give  thanks  for  the  Ephesians,  Eph.  1;  16;  and  for 
the  Corinthians,  1 Cor.  I:  4;  and  for  the  Philippians  made 
request  with  joy,  Phil.  I:  4;  and  is  in  contention  for  them 
whether  to  live  or  die,  be  with  them  or  Christ,  ver.  23 ; 
which,  setting  aside  his  care  of  his  flock,  were  a madness  to 
doubt  of.  What  an  admirable  epistle  is  the  second  to  the 
Corinthians  1 How  full  of  affections  1 He  joys,  and  he  is 
sorry  ; he  grieves,  and  he  glories!  Never  was  there  such  a 
care  of  a flock  expressed,  save  in  the  great  Shepherd  of  the 
fold,  who  first  shed  tears  over  Jerusalem,  and  afterwards 
blood.  Therefore  this  care  may  be  learned  there,  and  then 
woven  into  sermons ; which  will  make  them  appear  exceed- 
ing reverend  and  holy.  Lastly,  by  an  often  urging  of  the 


174 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


presence  and  majesty  of  God,  by  these,  or  such  like  speeches 
— ‘‘  Oh,  let  us  take  heed  what  we  do ! God  sees  us ; he 
sees  whether  I speak  as  I ought,  or  you  hear  as  you  ought ; 
he  sees  hearts,  as  we  see  faces.  He  is  among  us ; for  if  we 
be  here,  he  must  be  here;  since  we  are  here  by  him,  and 
without  him  could  not  be  here.”  Then,  turning  the  dis- 
course to  his  majesty, — ‘‘  and  he  is  a great  God,  and  terrible; 
as  great  in  mercy,  so  great  in  judgment ! There  are  but 
two  devouring  elements,  fire  and  water ; he  hath  both  in  him. 
His  voice  is  as  the  sound  oj  many  waters^  Rev.  i. ; and  he 
himself  is  a consuming  jire^^  Heb.  xii.  Such  discourses 
show  very  holy. 

The  parson’s  method  in  handling  of  a text  consists  of  two 
parts;  first,  a plain  and  evident  declaration  of  the  meaning 
of  the  text ; and  secondly,  some  choice  observations,  drawn 
out  of  the  whole  text,  as  it  lies  entire  and  unbroken  in  the 
Scripture  itself.  This  he  thinks  natural  and  sweet  and 
grave.  Whereas  the  other  way,  of  crumbling  a text  into 
small  parts,  (as,  the  person  speaking  or  spoken  to,  the  sub- 
ject, and  object,  and  the  like,)  hath  neither  in  it  sweetness 
nor  gravity  nor  variety ; since  the  words  apart  are  not  Scrip- 
ture, but  a dictionary,  and  may  be  considered  alike  in  all  the 
Scripture. 

The  parson  exceeds  not  an  hour  in  preaching,  because  dl 
ages  have  thought  that  a competency,  and  he  that  profits  not 
in  that  time,  will  less  afterwards ; the  same  affection  which 
made  him  not  profit  before,  making  him  then  weary,  and  so 
he  grows  from  not  relishing,  to  loathing. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE  PARSON  ON  SUNDAYS. 

The  Country  Parson,  as  soon  as  he  awakes  on  Sunday 
morning,  presently  falls  to  work,  and  seems  to  himself  so  as 
a market-man  is,  when  the  market-day  comes ; or  a shop- 
keeper, when  customers  use  to  come  in.  His  thoughts  are 
full  of  making  the  best  of  the  day,  and  contriving  it  to  his 
best  gains.  To  this  end,  besides  hjs  ordinary  prayers,  he 
makes  a peculiar  one  for  a blessing  on  the  exercises  of  the 
day  ^ ‘‘  that  nothing  befall  him  unworthy  of  that  Majesty  be- 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


175 


fore  which  he  is  to  present  himself,  but  that  all  may  be  done 
with  reverence  to  his  glory,  and  with  edification  to  his  flock ; 
humbly  beseeching  his  master,  that  how  or  whenever  he 
punish  him,  it  be  not  in  his  ministry.’^  Then  he  turns  to  re- 
quest for  his  people,  ‘‘  that  the  Lord  would  be  pleased  to 
sanctify  them  all ; that  they  may  come  with  holy  hearts  and 
awful  minds,  into  the  congregation ; and  that  the  good  God 
would  pardon  all  those  who  come  with  less  prepared  hearts 
than  they  ought/’ 

This  done,  he  sets  himself  to  the  consideration  of  the  du- 
ties of  the  day  ; and  if  there  be  any  extraordinary  addition 
to  the  customary  exercises,  either  from  the  time  of  the  year, 
or  from  the  State,  or  from  God  by  a child  born,  or  dead,  or 
any  other  accident,  he  contrives  how  and  in  what  manner  to 
induce  it  to  the  best  advantage.  Afterwards,  when  the  hour 
calls,  with  his  family  attending  him,  he  goes  to  church ; at 
his  first  entrance  humbly  adoring  and  worshipping  the  invisi- 
ble majesty  and  presence  of  Almighty  God,  and  blessing  the 
people,  either  openly,  or  to  himself  Then,  having  read  di- 
vine service  twice  fully,  and  preached  in  the  morning,  and 
catechised  in  the  afternoon,  he  thinks  he  hath  in  some  mea- 
sure, according  to  poor  and  frail  man,  discharged  the  public 
duties  of  the  congregation.  The  rest  of  the  day  he  spends 
either  in  reconciling  neighbors  that  are  at  variance,  or  in 
visiting  the  sick,  or  in  exhortations  to  some  of  his  flock  by 
themselves,  whom  his  sermons  cannot,  or  do  not  reach.  And 
every  one  is  more  awaked,  when  we  come  and  say.  Thou  art 
the  man.  This  way  he  finds  exceeding  useful  and  winning; 
and  these  exhortations  he  calls  his  privy  purse,  even  as 
princes  have  theirs,  besides  their  public  disbursements.  At 
night  he  thinks  it  a very  fit  time,  both  suitable  to  the  joy  of 
the  day,  and  without  hindrance  to  public  duties,  either  to 
entertain  some  of  his  neighbors,  or  to  be  entertained  of  them  ; 
where  he  takes  occasion  to  discourse  of  such  things  as  are 
both  profitable  and  pleasant,  and  to  raise  up  their  minds  to 
apprehend  God’s  good  blessing  to  our  church  and  State  ; that 
order  is  kept  in  the  one,  and  peace  in  the  other,  without  dis- 
turbance or  interruption  of  public  divine  offices. 

As  he  opened  the  day  with  prayer,  so  he  closeth  it ; hum- 
bly beseeching  the  Almighty  “ to  pardon  and  accept  our 
poor  services,  and  to  improve  them,  that  we  may  grow  there- 
in ; and  that  our  feet  may  be  like  hind’s  feet,  ever  climbing 
up  higher  and  higher  unto  him.” 


176 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  parson’s  state  OF  LIFE. 

The  Country  Parson,  considering  that  virginity  is  a high- 
er state  than  matrimony,  and  that  the  ministry  requires  the 
best  and  highest  things,  is  rather  unmarried  than  married. 
But  yet,  as  the  temper  of  his  body  may  be,  or  as  the  temper 
of  his  parish  may  be,  where  he  may  have  occasion  to  con- 
verse with  women,  and  that  amongst  suspicious  men,  and 
other  like  circumstances  considered,  he  is  rather  married 
than  unmarried.  Let  him  communicate  the  thing  often  by 
prayer  unto  God ; and  as  his  grace  shall  direct  him,  so  let 
him  proceed. 

If  he  be  unmarried,  and  keep  house,  he  hath  not  a woman 
in  his  house  : but  finds  opportunities  of  having  his  meat  dress- 
ed and  other  services  done  by  men  servants  at  home,  and  his 
linen  washed  abroad.  If  he  be  unmarried  and  sojourn,  he 
never  talks  with  any  woman  alone,  but  in  the  audience  , of 
others ; and  that  seldom,  and  then  also  in  a serious  manner, 
never  jestingly  or  sportfully.  He  is  very  circumspect  in  all 
companies,  both  of  his  behavior,  speech,  and  very  looks ; 
knowing  himself  to  be  both  suspected  and  envied.  If  he 
stand  steadfast  in  his  heart,  having  no  necessity,  hut  hath 
power  over  his  own  will,  and  hath  so  decreed  in  his  heart,  that 
he  will  keep  himself  a virgin,  he  spends  his  days  in  fasting 
and  prayer,  and  blesseth  God  for  the  gift  of  continency; 
knowing  that  it  can  no  way  be  preserved,  but  only  by  those 
means  by  which  at  first  it  was  obtained.  He  therefore  thinks 
it  not  enough  for  him  to  observe  the  fasting  days  of  the  church, 
and  the  daily  prayers  enjoined  him  by  authority,  which  he 
observeth  out  of  humble  conformity  and  obedience;  but  adds 
to  them,  out  of  choice  and  devotion,  some  other  days  for  fast- 
ing and  hours  for  prayer.  And  by  these  he  keeps  his  body 
tame,  serviceable  and  healthful ; and  his  soul  fervent,  active, 
young  and  lusty  as  an  eagle.  He  often  readeth  the  lives  of 
the  primitive  monks,  herfnits  and  virgins ; and  wondereth 
not  so  much  at  their  patient  suffering,  and  cheerful  dying  un- 
der persecuting  emperors  (though  that  indeed  be  very  admi- 
rable), as  at  their  daily  temperance,  abstinence,  watchings 
and  constant  prayers  and  mortifications,  in  the  times  of  peace 
and  prosperity.  To  put  on  the  profound  humility  and  the 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


177 


exact  temperance  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  with  other  exemplary 
virtues  of  that  sort,  and  to  keep  them  on  in  the  sunshine  and 
noon  of  prosperity,  he  findeth  to  be  as  necessary  and  as  diffi- 
cult, at  least,  as  to  be  clothed  with  perfect  patience  and 
Christian  fortitude  in  the  cold  midnight  storms  of  persecution 
and  adversity.  He  keepeth  his  watch  and  ward,  night  and 
day,  against  the  proper  and  peculiar  temptations  of  his  state 
of  life;  which  are  principally  these  two,  spiritual  pride  and 
impurity  of  heart.  Against  these  ghostly  enemies  he  girdeth 
up  his  loins,  keeps  the  imagination  from  roving,  puts  on  the 
whole  armor  of  God ; and,  by  the  virtue  of  the  shield  of  faith 
he  is  not  afraid  of  the  pestilence  that  walketh  in  darkness, 
(carnal  impurity,)  nor  of  the  sickness  that  destroy eth  at  noon-- 
day,  (ghostly  pride  and  self-conceit).  Other  temptations  he 
hath,  which,  like  mortal  enemies,  may  sometimes  disquiet 
him  likewise  ; for  the  human  soul,  being  bounded  and  kept 
in  her  sensitive  faculty,  will  run  out  more  or  less  in  her  intel- 
lectual. Original  concupiscence  is  such  an  active  thing,  by 
reason  of  continual  inward  or  outward  temptations,  that  it  is 
ever  attempting  or  doing  one  mischief  or  other.  Ambition, 
or  untimely  desire  of  promotion  to  an  higher  state,  under  color 
of  accommodation  or  necessary  provision,  is  a common  temp- 
tation to  men  of  any  eminency,  especially  being  single  men. 
Curiosity  in  prying  into  high,  speculative  and  unprofitable 
questions,  is  another  great  stumbling-block  to  the  holiness  of 
scholars.  These,  and  many  other  spiritual  wickednesses  in 
high  places  doth  the  parson  fear,  or  experiment,  or  both  ; and 
that  much  more  being  single,  than  if  he  were  married ; for 
then  commonly  the  stream  of  temptations  is  turned  another 
way,  into  covetousness,  love  of  pleasure  or  ease,  or  the  like. 
If  the  parson  be  unmarried,  and  means  to  continue  so,  he 
doth  at  least  as  much  as  hath  been  said. 

If  he  be  married,  the  choice  of  his  wife  was  made  rather 
by  his  ear  than  by  his  eye  his  judgment,  not  his  affection, 
found  out  a fit  wife  for  him,  whose  humble  and  liberal  dispo- 
sition he  preferred  before  beauty,  riches  or  honor.  He  knew 
that  (the  good  instrument  of  God  to  bring  women  to  heaven) 
a wise  and  loving  husband  could,  out  of  humility,  produce 
any  special  grace  of  faith,  patience,  meekness,  love,  obe- 
dience, etc.;  and,  out  of  liberality,  make  her  fruitful  in  all 
good  works.  As  he  is  just  in  all  things,  so  is  he  to  his  wife 
also;  counting  nothing  so  much  his  own,  as  that  he  may  be 
unjust  unto  it.  Therefore  he  gives  her  respect  both  before 


178 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


her  servants  and  others,  and  half  at  least  of  the  government 
of  the  house ; reserving  so  much  of  the  affairs  as  serve  for  a 
diversion  for  him,  yet  never  so  giving  over  the  reins,  but  that 
he  sometimes  looks  how  things  go,  demanding  an  account, 
but  not  by  the  way  of  an  account.  And  this  must  be  done 
the  oftener  or  the  seldomer,  according  as  he  is  satisfied  of  his 
wife’s  discretion. 


CHAPTEE  X. 

THE  PARSON  IN  HIS  HOUSE. 

The  Parson  is  very  exact  , in  the  governing  of  his  house, 
making  it  a copy  and  model  for  his  parish.  He  knows  the 
temper  and  pulse  of  every  person  in  his  house ; and,  accord- 
ingly, either  meets  with  their  vices,  or  advanceth  their  vir- 
tues. His  wife  is  either  religious,  or  night  and  day  he' is 
winning  her  to  it.  Instead  of  the  qualities  of  the  world  he 
requires  only  three  of  her.  First,  a training  up  of  her  chil- 
dren and  maids  in  the  fear  of  God  ; with  prayers,  and  cate- 
chising, and  all  religious  duties.  Secondly,  a curing  and 
healing  of  all  wounds  and  sores  with  her  own  hands ; which 
skill  either  she  brought  with  her,  or  he  takes  care  she  shall 
learn  it  of  some  religious  neighbor.  Thirdly,  a providing  for 
her  family  in  such  sort,  as  that  neither  they  want  a competent 
sustentation,  nor  her  husband  be  brought  in  debt. 

His  children  he  first  makes  Christians,  and  then  common- 
wealth’s men ; the  one  he  owes  to  his  heavenly  country,  the 
other  to  his  earthly,  having  no  title  to  either,  except  he  do 
good  to  both.  Therefore,  having  seasoned  them  with  all  pi- 
ety— not  only  of  words,  in  praying  and  reading;  but  in  ac- 
tions, in  visiting  other  sick  children  and  tending  their  wounds, 
and  sending  his  charity  by  them  to  the  poor,  and  sometimes 
giving  them  a little  money  to  do  it  of  themselves,  that  they 
get  a delight  in  it,  and  enter  favor  with  God,  who  weighs 
even  children’s  actions,  1 Kings,  14:  12,  13, — he  afterwards 
turns  his  care  to  fit  all  their  dispositions  with  some  calling; 
not  sparing  the  eldest,  but  giving  him  the  prerogative  of  his 
father’s  profession,  which  happily  for  his  other  children  he  is 
not  able  to  do.  Yet  in  binding  thdm  apprentices,  (in  case 
he  think  fit  to  do  so,)  he  takes  care  not  to  put  them  into  vain 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON.  179 

trades,  unbefitting  the  reverence  of  their  father’s  calling,  such 
as  are  taverns  for  men,  and  lace-making  for  women;  because 
those  trades,  for  the  most  part,  serve  but  the  vices  and  vani- 
ties of  the  world,  which  he  is  to  deny  and  not  augment. 
However,  he  resolves  with  himself  never  to  omit  any  present 
good  deed  of  charity,  in  consideration  of  providing  a stock 
for  his  children  ; but  assures  himself  that  money  thus  lent  to 
God,  is  placed  surer  for  his  children’s  advantage,  than  if  it 
were  given  to  the  chamber  of  London.  Good  deeds  and 
good  breeding  are  his  two  great  stocks  for  his  children ; if 
God  give  anything  above  those,  and  not  spent  in  them,  he 
blesseth  God,  and  lays  it  out  as  he  sees  cause. 

His  servants  are  all  religious ; and  were  it  not  his  duty  to 
have  them  so,  it  were  his  profit ; for  none  are  so  well  served, 
as  by  religious  servants  ; both  because  they  do  best,  and  be- 
cause what  they  do  is  blessed,  and  prospers.  After  religion, 
he  teaches  them  that  three  things  make  a complete  servant : 
— truth,  diligence,  and  neatness  or  cleanliness.  Those  that 
can  read,  are.  allowed  times  for  it ; and  those  that  cannot, 
are  taught;  for  all  in  his  house  are  either  teachers  or  learn- 
ers or  both  ; so  that  his  family  is  a school  of  religion,  and 
they  all  account,  that  to  teach  the  ignorant  is  the  greatest 
alms.  Even  the  walls  are  not  idle ; but  something  is  written 
or  painted  there,  which  may  excite  the  reader  to  a thought 
of  piety ; especially  the  101st  Psalm,  which  is  expressed  in  a 
fair  table,  as  being  the  rule  of  a family.  And  when  they  go 
abroad,  his  wife  among  her  neighbors  is  the  beginning  of 
good  discourses;  his  children,  among  children;  his  ser- 
vants, among  other  servants.  So  that  as  in  the  house  of  those 
that  are  skilled  in  music,  all  are  musicians ; so  in  the  house 
of  a preacher,  all  are  preachers.  He  suffers  not  a lie  or 
equivocation  by  any  means  in  his  house,  but  counts  it  the  art 
and  secret  of  governing,  to  preserve  a directness  and  open 
plainness  in  all  things  ; so  that  ail  his  house  knows  that  there 
is  no  help  for  a fault  done,  but  confession.  He  himself,  or 
his  wife,  takes  account  of  sermons,  and  how  every  one  pro- 
fits, comparing  this  year  with  the  last.  And,  besides  the 
common  prayers  of  the  family,  he  straitly  requires  of  all  to 
pray  by  themselves,  before  they  sleep  at  night  and  stir  out  in 
the  morning ; and  knows  what  prayers  they  say,  and,  till  they 
have  learned  them,  makes  them  kneel  by  him ; esteeming 
that  this  private  praying  is  a more  voluntary  act  in  them  than 
when  they  are  called  to  others’  prayers,  and  that  which,  when 


180 


TFIE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


they  leave  the  family,  they  carry  with  them.  He  keeps  his 
servants  between  love  and  fear,  according  as  he  finds  them. 
But,  generally,  he  distributes  it  thus  ; to  his  children  he  shows 
more  love  than  terror;  to  his  servants,  more  terror  than  love; 
but  an  old  good  servant  boards  a child. 

The  furniture  of  his  house  is  very  plain,  but  clean,  whole 
and  sweet ; — as  sweet  as  his  garden  can  make  ; for  he  hath 
no  money  for  such  things,  charity  being  his  only  perfume, 
which  deserves  cost  when  he  can  spare  it.  His  fare  is  plain, 
and  common,  but  wholesome.  What  he  hath  is  little,  but 
very  good.  It  consisteth  most  of  mutton,  beef  and  veal ; if 
he  adds  anything  for  a great  day  or  a stranger,  his  garden  or 
orchard  supplies  it,  or  his  barn  and  backside.  He  goes  no 
further  for  any  entertainment,  lest  he  go  into  the  world  ; es- 
teeming it  absurd,  that  he  should  exceed,  who  teacheth  oth- 
ers temperance.  But  Jthose  which  his  home  produceth,  he 
refuseth  not;  as  coming  cheap  and  easy,  and  arising  from 
the  improvement  of  things  which  otherwise  would  be  lost. 
Wherein  he  admires  and  imitates  the  wonderful  providence 
and  thrift  of  the  great  Householder  of  the  world.  For,  there 
being  two  things  which,  as  they  are,  are  unuseful  to  man, 
the  one  for  smallness,  as  crumbs  and  scattered  corn,  and  the 
like ; the  other  for  the  foulness,  as  wash,  and  dirt,  and  things 
thereinto  fallen, — God  hath  provided  creatures  for  both ; for 
the  first,  poultry  ; for  the  second,  swine.  These  save  man 
the  labor  ; and,  doing  that  which  either  he  could  not  do,  or 
was  not  fit  for  him  to  do,  by  taking  both  sorts  of  food  into 
them,  do  as  it  were  dress  and  prepare  both  for  man  in  them- 
selves, by  growing  themselves  fit  for  his  table. 

The  parson  in  his  house  observes  fasting  days.  And  par- 
ticularly as  Sunday  is  his  day  of  joy,  so  Friday  his  day  of  hu- 
miliation ; which  he  celebrates  not  only  with  abstinence  of 
diet,  but  also  of  company,  recreation  and  all  outward  con- 
tentments, and  besides,  with  confession  of  sins,  and  all  acts 
of  mortification.  Now  fasting  days  contain  a treble  obliga- 
tion ; first,  of  eating  less  that  day  than  on  other  days;  sec- 
ondly, of  eating  no  pleasing  or  over-nourishing  things,  as  the 
Israelites  did  eat  sour  herbs ; thirdly,  of  eating  no  flesh, — 
which  is  but  the  determination  of  the  second  rule,  by  autho- 
rity, to  this  particular.  The  two  former  obligations  are  much 
more  essential  to  a true  fast,  than  the  third  and  last ; and 
fasting  days  were  fully  performed  by  keeping  of  the  two  for- 
mer, had  not  authority  interposed.  So  that  to  eat  little,  and 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


181 


that  unpleasant,  is  the  natural  rule  of  fasting,  although  it  be 
flesh.  For,  since  fasting,  in  Scripture  language,  is  an  afflict- 
ing of  our  souls,  if  a piece  of  dry  flesh  at  my  table  be  more 
unpleasant  to  me,  than  some  fish  there,  certainly  to  eat  the 
flesh  and  not  the  fish,  is  to  keep  the  fasting-day  naturally. 
And  it  is  observable,  that  the  prohibiting  of  flesh  came  from 
hot  countries,  where  both  flesh  alone,  and  much  more  with 
wine,  is  apt  to  nourish  more  than  in  cold  regions ; and  where 
flesh  may  be  much  better  spared,  and  with  more  safety,  than 
elsewhere,  where  (both  the  people  and  the  drink  being  cold 
and  phlegmatic)  the  eating  of  flesh  is  an  antidote  to  both. 
For  it  is  certain  that  a weak  stomach  being  prepossessed 
with  flesh,  shall  much  better  brook  and  bear  a draught  of  beer, 
than  if  it  had  taken  before  either  fish  or  roots  or  such  things, 
which  will  discover  itself  by  spitting,  and  rheum  or  phlegm. 
To  conclude,  the  parson,  if  he  be  in  full  health,  keeps  the 
three  obligations;  eating  fish  or  roots;  and  that,  for  quanti- 
ty little,  for  quality  unpleasant.  If  his  body  be  weak  and 
obstructed,  as  most  students  are,  he  cannot  keep  the  last  ob- 
ligation, nor  suffer  others  in  his  house,  that  are  so,  to.  keep 
it ; but  only  the  two  former,  which  also,  in  diseases  of  exin- 
anition  (as  consumptions),  must  be  broken,  for  meat  was 
made  for  man,  not  man  for  meat.  To  all  this  may  be  added, 
not  for  emboldening  the  unruly,  but  for  the  comfort  of 
the  weak,  that  not  only  sickness  breaks  these  obligations  of 
fasting,  but  sickliness  also.  For  it  is  as  unnatural  to  do  any- 
thing that  leads  me  to  a sickness  to  which  I am  inclined,  as 
not  to  get  out  of  that  sickness  when  I am  in  it,  by  any  diet. 
One  thing  is  evident ; that  an  English  body,  and  a students 
body,  are  two  great  obstructed  vessels ; and  there  is  nothing 
that  is  food,  and  not  physic,  which  doth  less  obstruct,  than 
flesh  moderately  taken  ; as,  being  immoderately  taken,  it  is 
exceeding  obstructive.  And  obstructions  are  the  cause  of 
most  diseases. 


CHAPTER  XL 

THE  parson’s  COURTESY.^ 

The  Country  Parson  owing  a debt  of  charity  to  the  poor, 
and  of  courtesy  to  his  other  parishioners,  he  sodistinguisheth, 
16 


182 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


that  he  keeps  his  money  for  the  poor,  and  his  table  for  those 
that  are  above  alms.  Not  but  that  the  poor  are  welcome  al- 
so to  his  table  ; whom  he  sometimes  purposely  takes  home 
with  him,  setting  them  close  by  him,  and  carving  for  them, 
both  for  his  own  humility,  and  their  comfort,  who  are  much 
cheered  with  such  friendliness.  But  since  both  is  to  be 
done,  the  better  sort  invited,  and  meaner  relieved,  he  chooseth 
rather  to  give  the  poor,  money  ; which  they  can  better  employ 
to  their  own  advantage,  and  suitably  to  their  needs,  than  so 
much  given  in  meat  at  dinner.  Having  then  invited  some  of 
his  parish,  he  taketh  his  times  to  do  the  like  to  the  rest,  so 
that,  in  the  compass  of  the  year,  he  hath  them  all  with  him  ; 
because  country  people  are  very  observant  of  such  things,  and 
will  not  be  persuaded  but,  being  not  invited,  they  are  hated. 
Which  persuasion,  the  parson  by  all  means  avoids  ; knowing 
that,  where  there  are  such  conceits,  there  is  no  room  for  his 
doctrine  to  enter.  Yet  doth  he  oftenest  invite  those,  whom 
he  sees  take  best  courses ; that  so  both  they  may  be  encour- 
aged to  persevere,  and  others  spurred  to  do  well,  that  they 
may  enjoy  the  like  courtesy.  For  though  he  desire  that  all 
should  live  well  and  virtuously,  not  for  any  reward  of  his,  but 
for  virtue’s  sake  ; yet  that  will  not  be  so.  And  therefore  as 
God,  although  we  should  love  him  only  for  his  own  sake,  yet 
out  of  his  infinite  pity  hath  set  forth  heaven  for  a reward  to 
draw  men  to  piety,  and  is  content  if,  at  least  so,  they  will  be- 
come good  ; so  the  country  parson,  who  is  a diligent  observer 
and  tracker  of  God’s  ways,  sets  up  as  many  encouragements 
to  goodness  as  he  can,  both  in  honor  and  profit  and  fame ; 
that  he  may,  if  not  the  best  way,  yet  an^  way  make  his  parish 
good. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE  parson’s  CHARITY. 

The  Country  Parson  is  full  of  charity ; it  is  his  predomi- 
nant element.  For  many  and  wonderful  things  are  spoken 
of  thee,  thou  great  virtue.  To  charity  is  given  the  covering 
of  sins,  1 Pet.  4:  8;  and  the  forgiveness  of  sins.  Matt.  6: 
14;  Luke  7:  47;  the  fulfilling  of  fihe  law,  Rom.  13:  10;  the 
life  of  faith,  James  2:  26  ; the  blessings  of  this  life,  Prov.  22: 
9;  Ps.  41:  2;  and  the  reward  of  the  next,  Matt.  25:  35.  In 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


183 


brief,  it  is  the  body  of  religion,  John  13:  35,  and  the  top  of 
Christian  virtues,  1 Cor.  xiii.  Wherefore  all  his  works  relish 
of  charity.  When  he  riseth  in  the  morning,  he  bethinketh 
himself  what  good  deeds  he  can  do  that  day,  and  presently 
doth  them  ; counting  that  day  lost,  wherein  he  hath  not  ex- 
ercised his  charity. 

He  first  considers  his  own  parish ; and  takes  care,  that 
there  be  not  a beggar  or  idle  person  in  his  parish,  but  that 
all  be  in  a competent  way  of  getting  their  living.  This  he 
effects  either  by  bounty  or  persuasion  or  by  authority;  mak- 
ing use  of  that  excellent  statute,  which  binds  all  parishes  to 
maintain  their  own.  If  his  parish  be  rich,  he  exacts  this  of 
them  ; if  poor,  and  he  able,  he  easeth  them  therein.  But  he 
gives  no  set  pension  to  any  ; for  this  in  time  will  lose  the 
name  and  effect  of  charity  with  the  poor  people,  though  not 
with  God  ; for  then  they  will  reckon  upon  it,  as  on  a debt, 
and  if  it  be  taken  away,  though  justly,  they  will  murmur  and 
repine  as  much,  as  he  that  is  disseized  of  his  own  inheri- 
tance. But  the  parson,  having  a double  aim,  and  making  a 
hook  of  his  charity,  causeth  them  still  to  depend  on  him  ; 
and  so,  by  continual  and  fresh  bounties,  unexpected  to  them 
but  resolved  to  himself,  he  wins  them  to  praise  God  more,  to 
live  more  religiously,  and  to  take  more  pains  in  their  voca- 
tion, as  not  knowing  when  they  shall  be  relieved ; which  oth- 
erwise they  would  reckon  upon,  and  turn  to  idleness.  Be- 
sides this  general  provision,  he  hath  other  times  of  opening 
his  hand,  as  at  great  festivals  and  communions;  not  suffering 
any,  that  day  he  receives,  to  want  a good  meal  suiting  to  the 
joy  of  the  occasion.  But  specially  at  hard  times  and  dearths, 
he  even  parts  his  living  and  life  among  them  ; giving  some 
corn  outright,  and  selling  other  at  under  rates;  and,  when 
his  own  stock  serves  not,  working  those  that  are  able  to  the 
same  charity,  still  pressing  it,  in  the  pulpit  and  out  of  the 
pulpit,  and  never  leaving  them  till  he  obtain  his  desire.  Yet 
in  all  his  charity,  he  distinguisheth giving  them  most  who 
live  best,  and  take  most  pains,  and  are  most  charged ; so  is 
his  charity  in  effect  a sermon. 

After  the  consideration  of  his  own  parish,  he  enlargeth  him- 
self, if  he  be  able,  to  the  neighborhood  ; for  that  also  is  some 
kind  of  obligation.  So  doth  he  also  to  those  at  his  door; 
whom  God  puts  in  his  way,  and  makes  his  neighbors.  But 
these  he  helps  not  without  some  testimony,  except  the  evi- 
dence of  the  misery  bring  testimony  with  it.  For  though 


184 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


these  testimonies  also  may  be  falsified,  yet — considering  that 
the  law  allows  these  in  case  they  be  true,  but  allows  by  no 
means  to  give  without  testimony — as  he  obeys  authority  in 
the  one,  so,  that  being  once  satisfied,  he  allows  his  charity 
some  blindness  in  the  other;  especially  since,  of  the  two 
commands,  we  are  more  enjoined  to  be  charitable  than  wise. 
But  evident  miseries  have  a natural  privilege  and  exemption 
from  all  law.  Whenever  he  gives  anything,  and  sees  them 
labor  in  thanking  of  him,  he  exacts  of  them  to  let  him  alone, 
and  say  rather,  “God  be  praised!  God  be  glorified!’^  that  so 
the  thanks  may  go  the  right  way,  and  thither  only,  where 
they  are  only  due.  So  doth  he  also,  before  giving,  make  them 
say  their  prayers  first,  or  the  creed  and  ten  commandments ; 
and,  as  he  finds  them  perfect,  rewards  them  the  more.  For 
other  givings  are  lay  and  secular,  but  this  is  to  give  like  a 
priest. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE  parson’s  church. 

The  Country  Parson  hath  a special  care  of  his  church, 
that  all  things  there  be  decent,  and  befitting  His  name  by 
which  it  is  called.  Therefore,  first,  he  takes  order,  that  all 
things  be  in  good  repair ; as  walls  plastered,  windows  glazed, 
floor  paved,  seats  whole,  firm  and  uniform,  especially  that  the 
pulpit  and  desk  and  communion  table  and  font  be  as  they 
ought,  for  those  great  duties  that  are  performed  in  them. 
Secondly,  that  the  church  be  swept  and  kept  clean,  without  dust 
or  cobwebs  ; and,  at  great  festivals,  strewed  and  stuck  with 
boughs  and  perfumed  with  incense.  Thirdly,  that  there  be 
fit  and  proper  texts  of  Scripture  everywhere  painted ; and 
that  all  the  paintings  be  grave  and  reverend,  not  with  light 
colors  or  foolish  antics.  Fourthly,  that  all  the  books  ap- 
pointed by  authority  be  there  ; and  those,  not  torn  or  fouled, 
but  whole  and  clean,  and  well  bound ; and  that  there  be  a 
fitting  and  sightly  communion  cloth  “ of  fine  linen,  with  a 
handsome  and  seemly  carpet  of  good  and  costly  stuff  or  cloth, 
and  ail  kept  sweet  and  clean  in  a^strong  and  decent  chest; 
with  a chalice  and  cover,  and  a stoop  or  flagon  ; and  a bason 
for  alms  and  offerings  ; besides  which,  he  hath  a poor,  man’s 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


185 


box  conveniently  seated,  to  receive  the  charity  of  well-mind- 
ed people,  and  to  lay  up  treasure  for  the  sick  and  needy.’’ 

And  all  this  he  doth,  not  as  out  of  necessity,  or  as  putting 
a holiness  in  the  things,  but  as  desirous  to  keep  the  middle 
way  between  superstition  and  slovenliness,  and  as  following 
the  apostle’s  two  great  and  admirable  rules  in  things  of  this 
nature;  the  first  whereof  is,  Ld  all  things  he  clone  dece7itly 
and  in  order  ; the  second,  Let  all  things  he  done  to  edijication , 
1 Cor.  xiv.  For  these  two  rules  comprise  and  include  the 
double  object  of  our  duty,  God  and  our  neighbor ; the  first 
being  for  the  honor  of  God,  the  second  for  the  benefit  of  our 
neighbor.  So  that  they  excellently  score  out  the  way,  and  fully 
and  exactly  contain,  even  in  external  and  indifferent  things, 
what  course  is  to  be  taken  ; and  put  them  to  great  shame, 
who  deny  the  Scripture  to  be  perfect. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  PARSON  IN  CIRCUIT. 

The  Country  Parson,  upon  the  afternoons  in  the  week- 
days, takes  occasion  sometimes  to  visit  in  person,  now  one 
quarter  of  his  parish,  now  another.  For  there  he  shall  find 
his  flock  most  naturally  as  they  are,  wallowing  in  the  midst 
of  their  affairs;  whereas  on  Sundays  it  is  easy  for  them  to 
compose  themselves  to  order,  which  they  put  on  as  their  holi- 
day clothes,  and  come  to  church  in  frame,  but  commonly  the 
next  day  put  off  both. 

When  he  comes  to  any  house,  first  he  blesseth  it ; and 
then,  as  he  finds  the  persons  of  the  house  employed,  so  he 
forms  his  discourse.  Those  that  he  finds  religiously  em- 
ployed, he  both  commends  them  much,  and  furthers  them, 
when  he  is  gone,  in  their  employment ; as,  if  he  finds  them 
reading,  he  furnisheth  them  with  good  books  ; if  curing  poor 
people,  he  supplies  them  with  receipts,  and  instructs  them 
further  in  that  skill,  showing  them  how  acceptable  such 
works  are  to  God,  and  wishing  them  ever  to  do  the  cures 
with  their  own  hands,  and  not  to  put  them  over  to  servants. 

Those  that  he  finds  busy  in  the  works  of  their  calling,  he 
commeiideth  them  also ; for  it  is  a good  and  just  thii^  for 
every  one  to  do  their  own  business.  But  then  he  admon- 
16* 


186  THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 

isheth  them  of  two  things ; first,  that  they  dive  not  too 
deep  into  worldly  affairs,  plunging  themselves  over  head 
and  ears  into  carking  and  caring ; but  that  they  so  labor,  as 
neither  to  labor  anxiously,  nor  distrustfully,  nor  profanely. 

Then  they  labor  anxiously,  when  they  overdo  it,  to  the  loss 
of  their  quiet  and  health.  Then  distrustfully,  when  they 
doubt  God’s  providence,  thinking  their  own  labor  is  the 
cause  of  their  thriving,  as  if  it  were  in  their  own  hands  to 
thrive  or  not  to  thrive.  Then  they  labor  profanely,  when 
they  set  themselves  to  work  like  brute  beasts,  never  raising 
their  thoughts  to  God,  nor  sanctifying  their  labor  with  daily 
prayer ; when  on  the  Lord’s  day  they  do  unnecessary  servile 
work,  or  in  time  of  divine  service  on  other  holy  days,  except 
in  the  cases  of  extreme  poverty,  and  in  the  seasons  of  seed 
time  and  harvest.”  Secondly,  he  adviseth  them  so  to  labor 
for  wealth  and  maintenance,  as  that  they  make  not  that  the 
end  of  their  labor,  but  that  they  may  have  wherewithal  to 
serve  God  better,  and  do  good  deeds.  After  these  dis- 
courses, if  they  be  poor  and  needy  whom  he  thus  finds  la- 
boring, he  gives  them  somewhat,  and  opens  not  only  his 
mouth,  but  his  purse  to  their  relief,  that  so  they  go  on 
more  cheerfully  in  their  vocation,  and  himself  be  ever  the 
more  welcome  to  them. 

Those  that  the  parson  finds  idle  or  ill-employed,  he  chides 
not  at  first,  for  that  were  neither  civil  nor  profitable ; but  al- 
ways in  the  close,  before  he  departs  from  them.  Yet  in  this 
he  distinguisheth.  For  if  he  be  a plain  countryman,  he  re- 
proves him  plainly;  for  they  are  not  sensible  of  fineness.  If 
they  be  of  higher  quality,  they  commonly  are  quick,  and  sen- 
sible, and  very  tender  of  reproof ; and  therefore  he  lays  his 
discourse  so,  that  he  comes  to  the  point  very  leisurely,  and 
oftentimes,  as  Nathan  did,  in  the  person  of  another  making 
them  to  reprove  themselves.  However,  one  way  or  other,  he 
ever  reproves  them,  that  he  may  keep  himself  pure,  and  not 
be  entangled  in  others’  sins.  Neither  in  this  doth  he  for- 
bear, though  there  be  company  by.  For  as,  when  the  offence 
is  particular,  and  against  me,  I am  to  follow  our  Saviour’s 
rule,  and  to  take  my  brother  aside  and  reprove  him  ; so,  when 
the  offence  is  public,  and  against  God,  I am  then  to  follow 
the  apostle’s  rule,  1 Tim.  5:  20,  and  to  rebuke  openly  that 
whj^i  is  done  openly.  ^ 

Insides  these  occasional  discourses,  the  parson  questions 
what  order  is  kept  in  the  house as  about  prayers  morn- 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


,187 


ing  and  evening  on  their  knees,  reading  of  Scripture, 
catechising,  singing  of  psalms  at  their  work  and  on  holidays, 
— =who  can  read,  who  not;  and  sometimes  he  hears  the  chil- 
dren read  himself,  and  blesseth  them ; encouraging  also  the 
servants  to  learn  to  read,  and  offering  to  have  them  taught  on 
holidays  by  his  servants.  If  the  parson  were  ashamed  of  par- 
ticularizing in  these  things,  he  were  not  fit  to  be  a parson. 
But  he  holds  the  rule,  that  nothing  is  little  in  God’s  service ; 
if  it  once  have  the  honor  of  that  name,  it  grows  great  in- 
stantly. Wherefore,  neither  disdaineth  he  to  enter  into  the 
poorest  cottage,  though  he  even  creep  into  it,  and  though  it 
smell  never  so  loathsomely.  For  both  God  is  there  also,  and 
those  for  whom  God  died.  And  so  much  the  rather  doth  he 
so,  as  his  access  to  the  poor  is  more  comfortable,  than  to  the 
rich  : and,  in  regard  of  himself,  it  is  more  humiliation. 

These  are  the  parson’s  general  aims  in  his  circuit ; but 
with  these  he  mingles  other  discourses  for  conversation  sake, 
and  to  make  his  higher  purposes  slip  the  more  easily. 


CHAPTEK  XV. 

THE  PARSON  COMFORTING. 

The  Country  Parson  when  any  of  his  cure  is  sick  or  af- 
flicted with  loss  of  friend  or  estate,  or  any  ways  distressed, 
fails  not  to  afford  his  best  comforts ; and  rather  goes  to  them 
than  send  for  the  afflicted,  though  they  can,  and  otherwise 
ought  to  come  to  him.  To  this  end  he  hath  thoroughly  di- 
gested all  the  points  of  consolation,  as  having  continual  use 
of  them  ; such  as  are  from  God’s  general  providence,  extend- 
ed even  to  lilies  ; from  his  particular^  to  his  church ; from 
his  promises;  from  the  examples  of  all  saints  that  ever  were; 
from  Christ  himself,  perfecting  our  redemption  no  other  way 
than  by  sorrow ; from  the  benefit  of  affliction,  which  softens 
arid  works  the  stubborn  heart  of  man  ; from  the  certainty 
both  of  deliverance  and  reward,  if  we  faint  not ; from  the 
miserable  comparison  of  the  moment  of  griefs  here,  with  the 
weight  of  joys  hereafter.  Besides  this,  in  his  visiting  the 
sick  or  otherwise  afflicted,  he  followeth  the  church’s  counsel, 
namely,  in  persuading  them  to  particular  confession  ; labor- 
ing to  make  them  understand  the  great  good  use  of  this  an- 


188 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


cient  and  pious  ordinance,  and  how  necessary  it  is  in  some 
cases.  He  also  urgeth  them  to  do  some  pious  charitable 
works,  as  a necessary  evidence  and  fruit  of  their  faith ; at 
that  time  especially,  to  the  participation  of  the  holy  sacra- 
ment, showing  them  how  comfortable  and  sovereign  a medi- 
cine it  is  to  all  sin-sick  souls ; what  strength  and  joy  and 
peace  it  administers  against  all  temptations,  even  in  death »it- 
self.  He  plainly  and  generally  intimateth  all  this  to  the  dis- 
affected or  sick  person,  that  so  the  hunger  and  thirst  after  it 
may  come  rather  from  themselves,  than  from  his  persuasion.” 


CHAPTER  XYI 

THE  PARSON  A FATHER* 

The  Country  Parson  is  not  only  a father  to  his  flock,  but 
also  professeth  himself  throughly  of  the  opinion,  carrying  it 
about  with  him  as  fully  as  if  he  had  begot  his  whole  parish. 
And  of  this  he  makes  great  use.  For  by  this  means,  when 
any  sins,  he  hateth  him  not  as  an  officer,  but  pities  him  as  a 
father.  And  even  in  those  wrongs  which  either  in  tithing  or 
otherwise  are  done  to  his  own  person,  he  considers  the  of- 
fender as  a child,  and  forgives,  so  he  may  have  any  sign  of 
amendment.  So  also  when,  after  many  admonitions,  any 
continues  to  be  refractory,  yet  he  gives  him  not  over,  but  is 
long  belbre^  he  proceed  to  disinheriting,  or  perhaps  never 
goes  so  far,  knowing  that  some  are  called  at  the  eleventh 
hour  ; and  therefcre  he  still  expects  and  waits,  lest  he  should 
determine  God’s  hour  of  coming;  which,  as  he  cannot, 
touching  the  last  day,  so  neither  touching  the  intermediate 
days  of  conversion. 


CHAPTER  XYII. 

THE  PARSON  IN  JOURNEY. 

The  Country  Parson,  when  a just  occasion  calleth  him 
out  of  his  parish,  (which  he  diligently  and  strictly  weigheth, 
his  parish  being  all  his  joy  and  thought,)  leaveth  not  his 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


189 


ministry  behind  him,  but  is  himself  wherever  he  is.  There- 
fore those  he  meets  on  the  way  he  blesseth  audibly ; and 
with  those  he  overtakes,  or  that  overtake  him,  he  begins  good 
discourses,  such  as  may  edify ; interposing  sometimes  some 
short  and  honest  refreshments,  which  may  make  his  other 
discourses  more  welcome  and  less  tedious.  And  when  he 
comes  to  his  inn,  he  refuseth  not  to  join,  that  he  may  enlarge 
the  glory  of  God  to  the  company  he  is  in,  by  a due  blessing 
of  God  for  their  safe  arrival,  and  saying  grace  at  meat;  and 
at  going  to  bed,  by  giving  the  host  notice  that  he  will  have 
prayers  in  the  hall,  wishing  him  to  inform  his  guests  thereof, 
that  if  any  be  willing  to  partake  they  may  resort  thither. 
The  like  he  doth  in  the  morning;  using  pleasantly  the  out- 
landish proverb,  that  ‘‘  prayers  and  provender  never  hinder 
journey.’’  When  he  comes  to  any  other  house,  where  his 
kindred  or  other  relations  give  him  any  authority  over  the 
family,  if  he  be  to  stay  for  a time,  he  considers  diligently 
the  state  thereof  to  God-ward,  and  that  in  two  points  ; first, 
what  disorders  there  are  either  in  apparel,  or  diet,  or  too 
open  a buttery,  or  reading  vain  books,  or  swearing,  or  breed- 
ing up  children  to  no  calling,  but  in  idleness,  or  the  like. 
Secondly,  what  means  of  piety,  whether  daily  prayers  be 
used,  grace,  reading  of  Scriptures,  and  other  good  books ; 
how  Sundays,  holidays,  and  fasting  days  are  kept.  And, 
accordingly  as  he  finds  any  defect  in  these,  he  first  considers 
with  himself  what  kind  of  remedy  fits  the  temper  of  the 
house  best,  and  then  he  faithfully  and  boldly  applieth  it ; yet 
seasonably  and  discreetly,  by  taking  aside  the  lord  or  lady, 
or  master  and  mistress  of  the  house,  and  showing  them  clear- 
ly, that  they  respect  them  most  who  wish  them  best,  and  that 
not  a desire  to  meddle  with  others’  affairs,  but  the  earnest- 
ness to  do  all  the  good  he  can,  moves  him  to  say  thus  and 
thus. 


CHAPTER  XYIII. 

THE  PARSON  IN  SENTINEL. 

The  Country  Parson,  wherever  he  is,  keeps  God’s  watch  ; 
that  is,  there  is  nothing  spoken  or  done  in  the  company 
where  he  is,  but  comes  under  his  test  and  censure.  If  it  be 
well  spoken  or  done,  he  takes  occasion  to  commend  and  en- 


190 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


large  it;  if  ill,  he  presently  lays  hold  of  it,  lest  the  poison 
steal  into  some  young  and  unwary  spirits,  and  possess  them 
even  before  they  themselves  heed  it.  But  this  he  doth  dis- 
creetly, with  mollifying  and  suppling  words ; — “ this  was  not 
so  well  said,  as  it  might  have  been  foreborne — ‘‘  we  can- 
not allow  this.’’  Or  else,  if  the  thing  will  admit  interpreta- 
tion,— “your  meaning  is  not  thus,  but  thus;” — or,  “ so  far 
indeed  what  you  say  is  true,  and  well  said  ; but  this  will  not 
stand.”  This  is  called  keeping  God’s  watch,  when  the  baits 
which  the  enemy  lays  in  company  are  discovered  and  avoid- 
ed. This  is  to  be  on  God’s  side,  and  be  true  to  his  party. 
Besides,  if  he  perceive  in  company  any  discourse  tending  to 
ill,  either  by  the  wickedness  or  quarrelsomeness  thereof,  he 
either  prevents  it  judiciously,  or  breaks  it  off  seasonably  by 
some  diversion.  Wherein  a pleasantness  of  disposition  is  of 
great  use,  men  being  willing  to  sell  the  interest  and  engage- 
ment of  their  discourses  for  no  price  sooner  than  that  of 
mirth;  whither  the  nature  of  man,  loving  refreshment,  glad- 
ly betakes  itself,  even  to  the  loss  of  honor. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE  PARSON  IN  REFERENCE. 

The  Country  Parson  is  sincere  and  upright  in  all  his  re- 
lations. And,  first,  he  is  just  to  his  country ; as  when  he  is 
set  at  an  armor  or  horse,  he  borrows  them  not  to  serve  the 
turn,  nor  provides  slight  and  unuseful,  but  such  as  are  every 
way  fitting  to  do  his  country  true  and  laudable  service,  when 
occasion  requires.  To  do  otherwise,  is  deceit ; and  there- 
fore not  for  him  who  is  hearty  and  true  in  all  his  ways,  as 
being  the  servant  of  Him  in  whom  there  was  no  guile. 
Likewise  in  any  other  country-duty,  he  . considers  what  is 
the  end  of  any  command,  and  then  he  suits  things  faithfully 
according  to  that  end.  Secondly,  he  carries  himself  very 
respectively,  as  to  all  the  fathers  of  the  church,  so  especially 
to  his  diocesan,  honoring  him  both  in  word  and  behavior, 
and  resorting  unto  him  in  any  difficulty,  either  in  his  studies 
or  in  his  parish.  He  observes  visitations  ; and,  being  there, 
makes  due  use  of  them,  as  of  clergy  councils  for  the  benefit 
of  the  diocese.  And  therefore  before  he  comes,  having  ob- 


THE  country  parson. 


19! 


served  some  defects  in  the  ministry,  he  then  either  in  ser- 
mon, if  he  preach,  or  at  some  other  time  of  the  day,  pro- 
pounds among  his  brethren  what  were  fitting  to  be  done. 
Thirdly,  he  keeps  good  correspondence  with  all  the  neigh- 
boring pastors  round  about  him,  performing  for  them  any 
ministerial  office,  which  is  not  to  the  prejudice  of  his  own 
parish.  Likewise  he  welcomes  to  his  house  any  minister, 
how  poor  or  mean  soever,  with  as  joyful  a countenance,  as 
if  he  were  to  entertain  some  great  lord.  Fourthly,  he  fulfils 
the  duty  and  debt  of  neighborhood,  to  all  the  parishes  which 
are  near  him.  For,  the  apostle’s  rule,  Phil,  iv,  being  admi- 
rable and  large,  that  we  should  do  whatsoever  things  are 
honest,  or  just,  or  pure,  or  lovely,  or  of  good  report,  if  there 
he  any  virtue,  or  any  praise  ; and  neighborhood  being  ever 
reputed,  even  among  the  heathen,  as  an  obligation  to  do 
good,  rather  than  to  those  that  are  further,  where  things  are 
otherwise  equal ; therefore  he  satisfies  this  duty  also.  Es- 
pecially, if  God  have  sent  any  calamity,  either  by  fire  or 
famine,  to  any  neighboring  parish,  then  he  expects  no  brief, 
but  taking  his  parish  together  the  next  Sunday  or  holyday, 
and  exposing  to  them  the  uncertainty  of  human  affairs,  none 
knowing  whose  turn  may  be  next,  and  then,  when  he  hath 
affrighted  them  with  this,  exposing  the  obligation  of  charity 
and  neighborhood,  he  first  gives  liberally  himself,  and  then 
incites  them  to  give ; making  together  a sum  either  to  be 
sent,  or,  which  were  more  comfortable,  all  together  choosing 
some  fit  day  to  carry  it  themselves,  and  cheer  the  afflicted. 
So,  if  any  neighboring  village  be  overburdened  with  poor,  and 
his  own  less  charged,  he  finds  some  way  of  relieving  it,  and 
reducing  the  manna  and  bread  of  charity  to  some  equality  ; 
representing  to  his  people,  that  the  blessing  of  God  to  them 
ought  to  make  them  the  more  charitable,  and  not  the  less, 
lest  he  cast  their  neighbor’s  poverty  on  them  also. 


CHAPTER  XX, 

THE  PARSON  IN  GOd’s  STEAD. 

The  Country  Parson  is  in  God’s  stead  to  his  parish,  and 
dischargeth  God  what  he  can  of  his  promises.  Wherefore 
there  is  nothing  done  either  well  or  ill,  whereof  he  is  not  the 


192 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


rewarder  or  punisher.  If  he  chance  to  find  any  reading  in 
another’s  Bible,  he  provides  him  one  of  his  own.  If  he  find 
another  giving  a poor  man  a penny,  he  gives  him  a tester 
for  it,  if  the  giver  be  fit  to  receive  it;  or  if  he  be  of  a condi- 
tion above  such  gifts,  he  sends  him  a good  boojk,  or  easeth 
him  in  his  tithes,  telling  him,  when  he  hath  forgotten  it, 
“ This  I do,  because  at  such  and  such  a time  you  were  chari- 
table.” This  is  in  some  sort  a discharging  of  God  as  con- 
cerning this  lifey  who  hath  promised  that  godliness  shall  be 
gainful ; but  in  the  other,  God  is  his  own  immediate  pay- 
master, rewarding  all  good  deeds  to  their  full  proportion. 
“ The  parson’s  punishing  of  sin  and  vice,  is  rather  by  with- 
drawing his  bounty  and  courtesy  from  the  parties  offending, 
or  by  private  or  public  reproof,  as  the  case  requires,  than  by 
causing  them  to  be  presented  or  otherwise  complained  of. 
And  yet  as  the  malice  of  the  person,  or  heinousness  of  the 
crime  may  be,  he  is  careful  to  see  condign  punishment  in- 
flicted, and  with  truly  godly  zeal,  without  hatred  to  the  per- 
son, hungereth  and  thirsteth  after  righteous  punishment  of 
unrighteousness.  Thus  both  in  rewarding  virtue,  and  in 
punishing  vice,  the  parson  endeavoreth  to  be  in  God’s  stead ; 
knowing  that  country  people  are  drawn  or  led  by  sense,  more 
than  by  faith  ; by  present  rewards  or  punishments,  more  than 
by  future.” 


CHAPTER  XXL 

THE  PARSON  CATECHISING. 

The  Country  Parson  values  catechising  highly.  For, 
there  being  three  points  of  his  duty — the  one,  to  infuse  a 
competent  knowledge  of  salvation  into  every  one  of  his  flock  ; 
the  other,  to  multiply  and  build  up  this  knowledge  to  a spir- 
itual temple;  the  third,  to  inflame  this  knowledge,  to  press 
and  drive  it  to  practice,  turning  it  to  reformation  of  life,  by 
pithy  and  lively  exhortations  ; — catechising  is  the  first  point, 
and,  but  by  catechising,  the  other  cannot  be.  attained.  Be- 
sides, whereas  in  sermons  there  is  a kind  of  state,  in  cate- 
chising there  is  a humbleness  very  suitable  to  Christian  re- 
generation; which  exceedingly  delights  him,  as  by  way  of 
exercise  upon  himself,  and  by  way  of  preaching  to  himself, 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


193 


for  the  advancin^T  of  his  own  mortification;  for  in  preaching 
to  others,  he  forgets  not  himself,  but  is  first  a sermon  to  him- 
self, and  then  to  others;  growing  with  the  growth  of  his 
parish. 

He  useth  and  preferreth  the  ordinary  church  catechism  , 
partly  for  obedience  to  authority,  partly  for  uniformity  sake, 
that  the  same  common  truths  may  be  everywhere  professed; 
especially  since  many  remove  from  parish  to  parish,  who 
like  Christian  soldiers  are  to  give  the  word,  and  to  satisfy 
the  congregation  by  their  catholic  answers.  He  exacts  of 
all  the  doctrine  of  the  catechism ; of  the  younger  sort,  the 
very  words ; of  the  elder,  the  substance.  Those  he  cate- 
chiseth  publicly ; these  privately,  giving  age  honor,  accord- 
ing to  the  apostle’s  rule,  1 Tim.  5:  1.  He  requires  all  to  be 
present  at  catechising  : first,  for  the  authority  of  the  work  ; 
secondly,  that  parents  and  masters,  as  they  hear  the  answers 
prove,  may  when  they  come  home  either  commend  or  re- 
prove, either  reward  or  punish  ; thirdly,  that  those  of  the 
elder  sort,  who  are  not  well  grounded,  may  then  by  an  honor- 
able way  take  occasion  to  be  better  instructed ; fourthly, 
that  those  who  are  well  grown  in  the  knowledge  of  religion, 
may  examine  their  grounds,  renew  their  vows,  and,  by  oc- 
casion of  both,  enlarge  their  meditations. 

When  once  all  have  learned  the  words  of  the  catechism, 
he  thinks  it  the  most  useful  way  that  a pastor  can  take,  to  go 
over  the  same,  but  in  other  words ; for  many  say  the  cate- 
chism by  rote,  as  parrots,  without  ever  piercing  into  the 
sense  of  it.  In  this  course  the  order  of  the  catechism  would 
be  kept,  but  the  rest  varied ; as  thus,  in  the  creed — “ How 
came  this  world  to  be  as  it  is '?  Was  it  made,  or  came  it  by 
chance?  Who  made  it?  Did  you  see  God  make  it?  Then 
are  there  some  things  to  be  believed  that  are  not  seen  ? Is 
this  the  nature  of  belief?  Is  not  Christianity  full  of  such 
things  as  are  not  to  be  seen,  but  believed  ? You  said,  God 
made  the  world  ; who  is  God  ?” — and  so  forward,  requiring 
answers  to  all  these,  and  helping  and  cherishing  the  answer- 
er, by  making  the  question  very  plain  with  comparisons,  and 
making  much  even  of  one  word  of  truth  contained  in  the 
answer  given  by  him.  This  order,  being  used  to  one,  would 
be  a little  varied  to  another.  And  this  is  an  admirable  way 
of  teaching,  wherein  the  catechised  will  at  length  find  de- 
light ; and  by  which  the  catechiser,  if  he  once  get  the  skill 
of  it,  will  draw  out  of  ignorant  and  silly  souls  even  the  dark 
17 


194 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


and  deep  points  of  religion.  Socrates  did  thus  in  philosophy, 
who  held  that  the  seeds  of  all  truths  lay  in  every  body ; and 
accordingly,  by  questions  well  ordered,  he  found  philosophy 
in  silly  tradesmen.  That  position  will  not  hold  in  Chris- 
tianity, because  it  contains  things  above  nature;,  but  after 
that  the  catechism  is  once  learned',  that  which  nature  is  to- 
wards philosophy,  the  catechism  is  towards  divinity.  To 
this  purpose,  some  dialogues  in  Plato  were  worth  the  read- 
ing, where  the  singular  dexterity  of  Socrates  in  this  kind 
may  be  observed  and  imitated.  Yet  the  skill  consists  but  in 
these  three  points;  first,  an  aim  and  mark  of  the  whole  dis- 
course, whither  to  drive  the*  answerer,  which  the  questionist 
must  have  in  his  mind  before  any  question  be  propounded, 
upon  which  and  to  which  the  questions  are  to  be  chained. 
Secondly,  a most  plain  and  easy  framing  the  question  even 
containing,  in  virtue,  the  answer  also,  especially  to  the  more 
ignorant.  Thirdly,  when  the  answerer  sticks,  an  illustrating 
the  thing  by  something  else,  which  he  knows;  making  what 
he  knows  to  serve  him  in  that  which  he  knows  not.  As 
when  the  parson  oTK^e  demanded,  after  other  questions  about 
man’s  misery,  “ Since  man  is  so  miserable,  what  is  to  be 
done?”  and  the  answerer  could  not  tell;  he  asked  him 
again,  what  he  would  do  if  he  were  in  a ditch.  This  fa- 
miliar illustration  made  the  answer  so  plain,  that  he  was 
even  ashamed  of  his  ignorance ; for  he  could  not  but  say,  he 
would  haste  out  of  it  as  fast  as  he  could.  Then  he  proceed- 
ed to  ask,  whether  he  could  get  out  of  the  ditch  alone,  or 
whether  he  needed  a helper,  and  who  was  that  helper.  This 
is  the  skill,  and  doubtless  the  Holy  Scripture  intends  thus 
much,  when  it  condescends  to  the  naming  of  a plough,  a 
hatchet,  a bushel,  leaven,  boys  piping  and  dancing;  showing 
that  things  of  ordinary  use  are  not  only  to  serve  in  the  way 
of  drudgery,  but  to  be  washed  and  cleansed,  and  serve  for 
lights  even  of  heavenly  truths.  This  is  the  practice  which 
the  parson  so  much  commends  to  all  his  fellow-laborers;  the 
secret  of  whose  good  consists  in  this,  that  at  sermons  and 
prayers  men  may  sleep  or  wander,  but  when  one  is  asked  a 
question,  he  must  discover  what  be  is.  This  practice  ex- 
ceeds even  sermons  in  teaching;  but,  there  being  two  things 
in  sermons,  the  one  informing,  the  other  inflaming,  as  ser- 
mons come  short  of  questions  in  ^he  one,  so  they  far  exceed 
them  in  the  other.  For  questions  cannot  inflame  or  ravish  ; 
that  must  be  done  by  a set  and  labored  and  continued 
speech. 


THE  COUJVTJRY  PARSON. 


195 


CHAPTER  XXIL 

THE  PARSON  IN  SACRAMENTS, 

The  Country  Parson,  being  to  administer  the  sacraments, 
is  at  a stand  with  himself,  how  or  what  behavior  to  assume 
for  so  holy  things.  Especially  at  communion  times  he  is  in 
great  confusion,  as  being  not  only  to  receive  God,  but  to 
break  and  administer  him.  Neither  finds  he  any  issue  in 
this,  but  to  throw  himself  down  at  the  throne  of  grace,  say- 
ing, “ Lord,  thou  knowest  what  thou  didst,  when  thou  ap- 
pointedst  it  to  be  done  thus;  therefore  do  thou  fulfil  what 
thou  didst  appoint,  for  thou  art  not  the  feast,  but  the  way 
to  it.” 

At  baptism,  being  himself  in  white,  he  requires  the  pres- 
ence of  all,  and  baptizeth  not  willingly,  but  on  Sundays  or 
great  days.  He  admits  no  vain  or  idle  names,  but  such  as 
are  usual  and  accustomed.  He  says  that  prayer  with  great 
devotion,  where  God  is  thanked  for  calling  us  to  the  knowl- 
edge of  his  grace ; baptism  being  a blessing,  that  the  world 
hath  not  the  like.  He  willingly  and  cheerfully  crosseth  the 
child,  and  thinketh  the  ceremony  not  only  innocent,  but 
reverend.  He  instructeth  the  godfathers  and  godmothers, 
that  it  is  no  complimental  or  light  thing  to  sustain  that  place, 
but  a great  honor  and  no  less  burden ; as  being  done  both 
in  the  presence  of  God  and  his  saints,  and  by  way  of  under- 
taking for  a Christian  soul.  He  adviseth  all  to  call  to  mind 
their  baptism  often.  For  if  wise  men  have  thought  it  the 
best  way  of  preserving  a State,  to  reduce  it  to  its  principles 
by  which  it  grew  great;  certainly  it  is  the  safest  course  for 
Christians  also  to  nveditate  on  their  baptism  often,  (being 
the  first  step  into  their  great  and  glorious  calling,)  and  upon 
what  terms,  and  with  what  vows  they  were  baptized. 

At  the  times  of  the  holy  communion,  he  first  takes  order 
with  the  church  wardens,  that  the  elements  be  of  the  best  ; 
not  cheap  or  coarse,  much  less  ill-tasted  or  unwholesome. 
Secondly,  he  considers  and  looks  into  the  ignorance  or  care- 
lessness of  his  flock,  and  accordingly  applies  himself  with 
catechising  and  lively  exhortations,  not  on  the  Sunday  of 
the  communion  only  (for  then  it  is  too  late),  but  the  Sunday 
or  Sundays  before  the  communion,  or  on  the  eves  of  all  those 
days.  If  there  be  anj  who,  having  not  yet  received,  are  to 


196 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


enter  into  this  great  work,  he  takes  the  more  pains  with 
them,  that  he  may  lay  the  foundation  of  future  blessings. 
The  time  of  every  one’s  first  receiving  is  not  so  much  by 
years,  as  by  understanding.  Particularly  the  rule  may  be 
this;  when  any  one  can  distinguish  the  sacramental  from 
common  bread,  knowing  the  institution  and  the  difference, 
he  ought  to  receive,  of  what  age  soever.  Children  and 
youth  are  usually  deferred  too  long,  under  pretence  of  devo- 
tion to  the  sacrament ; but  it  is  for  want  of  instruction  ; their 
understandings  being  ripe  enough  for  ill  things,  and  why  not 
then  for  better  ? But  parents  and  masters  should  make  haste 
in  this,  as  to  a great  purchase  for  their  children  and  servants; 
which  while  they  defer  both  sides  suffer ; the  one,  in  want- 
ing many  excitings  of  grace ; the  other,  in  being  worse 
served  and  obeyed.  The  saying  of  the  catechism  is  neces- 
sary, bat  not  enough,  because  to  answer  in  form  may  still 
admit  ignorance.  But  the  questions  must  be  propounded 
loosely  and  widely,  and  then  the  answerer  will  discover  what 
he  is.  Thirdly,  for  the  manner  of  receiving,  as  the  parson 
useth  all  reverence  himself,  so  he  administers  to  none  but  to 
the  reverent.  The  feast  indeed  requires  sitting,  because  it 
is  a feast ; but  man’s  unpreparedness  asks  kneeling.  He 
that  comes  to  the  sacrament,  hath  the  confidence  of  a guest ; 
and  he  that  kneels,  confesseth  himself  an  unworthy  one  and 
therefore  differs  from  other  feasters ; but  he  that  sits  or  lies, 
puts  up  to  an  apostle.  Contentiousness  in  a feast  of  charity 
is  more  scandal  than  any  posture.  Fourthly,  touching  the 
frequency  of  the  communion,  the  parson  celebrates  it,  if  not 
duly  once  a month,  yet  at  least  five  or  six  times  in  the  year  ; 
as,  at  Easter,  Christmas,  Whitsuntide,  afore  and  after  har- 
vest, and  the  beginning  of  Lent.  And  this  he  doth,  not 
cnly  for  the  benefit  of  the  work,  but  also  for  the  discharge  of 
the  church-wardens  ; who  being  to  present  all  who  receive 
not  thrice  a year,  if  there  be  but  three  communions,  neither 
can  all  the  people  so  order  their  affairs  as  to  receive  just  at 
those  times,  nor  the  church-wardens  so  well  take  notice, 
who  receive  thrice,  and  who  not. 


THE  COUNTRY  TARSON. 


197 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

THE  parson’s  completeness. 

The  Country  Parson  desires  to  be  all  to  his  parish,  and 
not  only  a pastor,  but  a lawyer  also  and  a physician.  There- 
fore he  endures  not  that  any  of  his  flock  should  go  to  law, 
hut,  in  any  controversy,  that  they  should  resort  to  him  as 
their  judge.  To  this  end,  he  hath  gotten  to  himself  some 
insight  in  things  ordinarily  incident  and  controverted,  by  ex- 
perience, and  by  reading  some  initiatory  treatise  in  the  law, 
with  Dalton’s  Justice  of  Peace,  and  the  Abridgments  of  the 
Statutes ; as  also  by  discourse  with  men  of  that  profession, 
whom  he  hath  ever  some  cases  to  ask,  when  he  meets  with 
them ; holding  that  rule,  that  to  put  men  to  discourse  of  that 
wherein  they  are  most  eminent,  is  the  most  gainful  way  of 
conversation.  Yet  whenever  any  controversy  is  brought  to 
him,  he  never  decides  it  alone,  but  sends  for  three  or  four  of 
the  ablest  of  the  parish  to  hear  the  cause  with  him,  whom  he 
makes  to  deliver  their  opinion  first ; out  of  which  he  gathers, 
in  case  he  be  ignorant  himself,  what  to  hold,  and  so  the 
thing  passeth  with  more  authority  and  less  envy.  In  judg- 
ing, he  follows  that  which  is  altogether  right ; so  that  if  the 
poorest  man  of  the  parish  detain  but  a pin  unjustly  from  the 
richest,  he  absolutely  restores  it  as  a judge ; but  when  he 
hath  so  done,  then  he  assumes  the  parson  and  exhorts  to 
charity.  Nevertheless,  there  may  happen  sometimes  some 
cases,  wherein  he  chooseth  to  permit  his  parishioners  rather 
to  make  use  of  the  law,  than  himself ; as  in  cases  of  an  ob- 
scure and  dark  nature,  not  easily  determinable  by  lawyers 
themselves,  or  in  cases  of  high  consequence,  as  establishing 
of  inheritances ; or  lastly,  when  the  persons  in  difference 
are  of  a contentious  disposition,  and  cannot  be  gained,  but 
that  they  still  fall  from  all  compromises  that  have  been  made. 
But  then  he  shows  them  how  to  go  to  law,  even  as  brethren 
and  not  as  enemies,  neither  avoiding  therefore  one  another’s 
company,  much  less  defaming  one  another. 

Now  as  the  parson  is  in  law,  so  is  he  in  sickness  also.  If 
there  be  any  of  his  flock  sick,  he  is  their  physician,  or  at 
least  his  wife ; of  whom,  instead  of  the  qualities  of  the  world, 
he  asks  no  other,  but  to  have  the  skill  of  healing  a wound  or 
helping  the  sick.  But  if  neither  himself  nor  his  wife  have 

17* 


198 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


the  skill,  and  bis  means  serve,  he  keeps  some  young  practi- 
tioner in  his  house  for  the  benefit  of  his  parish ; whom  yet  he 
ever  exhorts  not  to  exceed  his  bounds,  but  in  ticklish  cases 
to  call  in  help.  If  all  fail,  then  he  keeps  good  correspond- 
ence with  some  neighbor  physician,  and  entertains  him  for 
the  cure  of  his  parish.  Yet  it  is  easy  for  any  scholar  to  at- 
tain to  such  a measure  of  physic,  as  may  be  of  much  use  to 
him,  both  for  himself  and  others.  This  is  done  by  seeing 
one  anatomy,  reading  one  book  of  physic,  having  one  herbal 
by  him.  And  let  Fernelius  be  the  physic  author,  for  he 
writes  briefly,  neatly  and  judiciously ; especially  let  his 
Method  of  physic  be  diligently  perused,  as  being  the  practi- 
cal part  and  of  most  use.  Now  both  the  reading  of  him  and 
the  knowing  of  herbs  may  be  done  at  such  times,  as  they 
may  be  a help  and  a recreation  to  more  divine  studies,  nature 
serving  grace  both  in  comfort  of  diversion,  and  the  benefit  of 
application  when  need  requires;  as  also  by  way  of  illustra- 
tion, even  as  our  Saviour  made  plants  and  seeds  to  teach  the 
people.  For  he  was  the  true  householder ^ xoho  hringeth  out 
of  his  treasure,  things  neio  and  old, — the  old  things  of  phi- 
losophy, and  the  new  of  grace,  and  maketh  the  one  to  serve 
the  other.  And,  I conceive,  our  Saviour  did  this  for  three 
reasons.  First,  that  by  familiar  things  he  might  make  his 
doctrine  slip  the  more  easily  into  the  hearts  even  of  the 
meanest.  Secondly,  that  laboring  people,  whom  he  chiefly 
considered,  might  have  everywhere  monuments  of  his  doc- 
trine; remembering,  in  gardens,  his  mustard-seed  and  lilies; 
in  the  field,  his  seed-corn  and  tares ; and  so  not  be  drowned 
altogether  in  the  works  of  their  vocation,  but  sometimes  lift 
up  their  minds  to  better  things,  even  in  the  midst  of  their 
pains.  Thirdly,  that  he  might  set  a copy  for  parsons. — In 
the  knowledge  of  simples,  wherein  the  manifold  wisdom  of 
God  is  wonderfully  to  be  seen,  one  thing  would  be  carefully 
observed;  which  is,  to  know  what  herbs  may  be  used  instead 
of  drugs  of  the  same  nature,  and  to  make  the  garden  the 
shop.  For  home-bred  medicines  are  both  more  easy  for  the 
parson's  purse,  and  more  familiar  for  all  men's  bodies.  So, 
where  the  apothecary  useth,  either  for  loosing,  rhubarb ; or 
for  binding,  bolearmena  ; the  parson  useth  damask  or  white 
roses  for  the  one,  and  plaintain,  shepherds-purse,  knotgrass, 
for  the  other ; and  that  with  better  success.  As  for  spices, 
he  doth  not  only  prefer  home-bred  things  before  them,  but 
condemns  them  for  vanities,  and  so  shuts  them  out  of  his 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


199 


family ; esteeming  that  there  is  no  spice  comparable,  for 
herbs,  to  rosemary,  thyme,  savory,  mints;  and  for  seeds,  to 
fennel,  and  caraway-seeds.  Accordingly  for  salves,  his  wife 
seeks  not  the  city,  but  prefers  her  garden  and  fields  before 
all  outlandish  gums.  And  surely  hyssop,  valerian,  mercury, 
adders-tongue,  yerrow,  melilot,  and  St.  John’s-wort  made 
into  a salve;  and  elder,  camomile,  mallows,  comfrey,  and 
smallage  made  into  a poultice,  have  done  great  and  rare 
cures.  In  curing  of  any,  the  parson  and  his  family  use  to 
premise  prayers ; for  this  is  to  cure  like  a parson,  and  this 
raiseth  the  action  from  the  shop  to  the  church.  But  though 
the  parson  sets  forward  all  charitable  deeds,  yet  he  looks  not 
in  this  point  of  curing  beyond  his  own  parish ; except  the 
person  be  so  poor,  that  he  is  not  able  to  reward  the  physician. 
For,  as  he  is  charitable,  so  he  is  just  also.  Now  it  is  a jus- 
tice and  debt  to  the  commonwealth  he  lives  in,  not  to  en- 
croach on  others’  professions,  but  to  live  on  his  own.  And 
justice  is  the  ground  of  charity. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

THE  PARSON  ARGUING. 

The  Country  Parson,  if  there  be  any  of  his  parish  that 
hold  strange  doctrines,  useth  all  possible  diligence  to  reduce 
them  to  the  common  faith.  The  first  means  he  useth  is 
prayer ; beseeching  the  Father  of  lights  to  open  their  eyes, 
and  to  give  him  power  so  to  fit  his  discourse  to  them,  that  it 
may  effectually  pierce  their  hearts  and  convert  them.  The 
second  means  is  a very  loving  and  sweet  usage  of  them,  both 
in  going  to,  and  sending  for  them  often,  and  in  finding  out 
courtesies  to  place  on  them ; as  in  their  tithes  or  otherwise. 
The  third  means  is  the  observation  what  is  the  main  founda- 
tion and  pillar  of  their  cause,  whereon  they  rely ; as,  if  he 
be  a papist,  the  church  is  the  hinge  he  turns  on ; if  a schis- 
matic, scandal.  Wherefore  the  parson  hath  diligently  ex- 
amined these  two  with  himself.  As,  what  the  church  is ; 
how  it  began ; how  it  proceeded ; whether  it  be  a rule  to 
itself;  whether  it  hath  a rule;  whether,  having  a rule,  it 
ought  not  to  be  guided  by  it ; whether  any  rule  in  the  world 
be  obscure ; and  how  then  should  the  best  be  so?  at  least  in 


200 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


fundamental  things ; — the  obscurity  in  some  points  being  the 
exercise  of  the  church,  the  light  in  the  foundations  being  the 
guide ; the  church  needing  both  an  evidence  and  an  exer- 
cise. So,  for  scandal : what  scandal  is ; when  given  or 
taken  ; whether,  there  being  two  precepts,  one  of  obeying  au- 
thority, the  other  of  not  giving  scandal,  that  ought  not  to  be 
preferred, — especially  since  in  disobeying  there  is  scandal 
also ; whether,  things  once  indifferent,  being  made  by  the 
precept  of  authority  more  than  indifferent,  it  be  in  our  power 
to  omit  or  refuse  them.  These  and  the  like  points  he  hath 
accurately  digested ; having  ever,  besides,  two  great  helps 
and  powerful  persuaders  on  his  side.  The  one,  a strict  re- 
ligious life ; the  other,  a humble  and  ingenuous  search  of 
truth,  being  unmoved  in  arguing,  and  void  of  all  contentious- 
ness: which  are  two  great  lights  able  to  dazzle  the  eyes  of 
the  misled,  while  they  consider,  that  God  cannot  be  wanting 
to  them  in  doctrine,  to  whom  he  is  so  gracious  in  life. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

THE  PARSON  PUNISHING. 

Whensoever  the  Country  Parson  proceeds  so  far  as  to 
call  in  authority,  and  do  such  things  of  legal  opposition, 
either  in  the  presenting  or  punishing  of  any,  as  the  vulgar 
ever  construes  for  signs  of  ill  will,  he  forbears  not  in  any 
wise  to  use  the  delinquent  as  before,  in  his  behavior  and  car- 
riage towards  him,  not  avoiding  his  company,  or  doing  any- 
thing of  averseness,  save  in  the  very  act  of  punishment. 
Neither  doth  he  esteem  him  for  an  enemy,  but  as  a brother 
still ; except  some  small  and  temporary  estranging  may  cor- 
roborate the  punishment  to  a better  subduing  and  humbling 
of  the  delinquent.  Which,  if  it  happily  take  effect,  he  then 
comes  on  the  faster,  and  makes  so  much  the  more  of  him,  as 
before  he  alienated  himself;  doubling  his  regards,  and  show- 
ing, by  all  means,  that  the  delinquent’s  return  is  to  his  ad- 
vantage. 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


201 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

THE  parson’s  eye. 

The  Country  Parson,  at  spare  times  from  action,  stand- 
ing on  a hill  and  considering  his  flock,  discovers  two  sorts  of 
vices,  and  two  sorts  of  vicious  persons.  There  are  some 
vices,  whose  natures  are  always  clear  and  evident;  as  adul- 
tery, murder,  hatred,  lying,  etc.  There  are  other  vices,  whose 
natures,  at  least  in  the.  beginning,  are  dark  and  obscure ; 
as  covetousness  and  gluttony.  So  likewise  there  are  some 
persons,  who  abstain  not  even  from  known  sins;  there  are 
others,  who  when  they  know  a sin  evidently,  they  commit  it 
not.  It  is  true  indeed,  they  are  long  a knowing  it,  being 
partial  to  themselves,  and  witty  to  others  who  shall  reprove 
them  for  it.  A man  may  be  both  covetous  and  intemperate, 
and  yet  hear  sermons  against  both,  and  himself  condemn 
both  in  good  earnest.  And  the  reason  hereof  is,  because, 
the  natures  of  these  vices  being  not  evidently  discussed  or 
known  commonly,  the  beginnings  of  them  are  not  easily  ob- 
servable; and  the  beginnings  of  them  are  not  observed,  be- 
cause of  the  sudden  passing  from  that  which  was  just  now 
lawful,  to  that  which  is  presently  unlawful  even  in  one  con- 
tinued action.  So  a man  dining  eats  at  first  lawfully ; but, 
proceeding  on,  comes  to  do  unlawfully,  even  before  he  is 
aware;  not  knowing  the  bounds  of  the  action,  nor  when  his 
eating  begins  to  be  unlawful.  So,  a man  storing  up  money 
for  his  necessary  provisions,  both  in  present  for  his  family 
and  in  future  for  his  children,  hardly  perceives  when  his  stor- 
ing becomes  unlawful ; yet  is  there  a period  for  his  storing, 
and  a point  or  centre  when  his  storing,  which  was  even  now 
good,  passeth  from  good  to  bad. — Wherefore  the  parson, 
being  true  to  his  business,  hath  exactly  sifted  the  definitions 
of  all  virtues  and  vices ; especially  canvassing  those,  whose 
natures  are  most  stealing,  and  beginnings  uncertain.  Par- 
ticularly, concerning  these  two  vices  ; not  because  they  are 
all  that  are  of  this  dark  and  creeping  disposition,  but  for  ex- 
ample sake,  and  because  they  are  most  common ; he  thus 
thinks r 

First,  for  covetousness,  he  lays  this  ground.  Whosoever 
when  a just  occasion  calls,  either  spends  not  at  all,  or  not  in 
some  proportion  to  God’s  blessing  upon  him,  is  covetous, 


202 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


The  reason  of  the  ground  is  manifest;  because  wealth  is 
given  to  that  end,  to  supply  our  occasions.  Now,  if  I do 
not  give  everything  its  end,  I abuse  the  creature ; I am  false 
to  my  reason,  which  should  guide  me ; I offend  the  supreme 
Judge,  in  perverting  that  order  which  he  hath  set  both  to 
things  and  to  reason.  The  application  of  the  ground  would 
be  infinite.  But,  in  brief,  a poor  man  is  an  occasion ; my 
country  is  an  occasion;  my  friend  is  an  occasion;  my  table 
is  an  occasion ; my  apparel  is  an  occasion.  If  in  all  these, 
and  those  more  which  concern  me,  I either  do  nothing,  or 
pinch,  and  scrape,  and  squeeze  blood,  undecently  to  the  sta- 
tion wherein  God  hath  placed  me,  I am  covetous.  More  par- 
ticularly, and  to  give  one  instance  for  all ; if  God  hath  giveri 
me  servants,  and  I either  provide  too  little  for  them,  or  that 
which  is  unwholesome,  being  sometimes  baned  meat,  some- 
times too  salt,  and  so  not  competent  nourishment,  I am  cov- 
etous. I bring  this  example,  because  men  usually  think,  that 
servants  for  their  money  are  as  other  things  that  they  buy  ; 
even  as  a piece  of  wood,  which  they  may  cut  or  hack,  or 
throw  into  the  fire ; and,  so  they  pay  them  their  wages,  all  is 
well.  Nay,  to  descend  yet  more  particularly ; if  a man  hath 
wherewithal  to  buy  a spade,  and  yet  he  chooseth  rath- 
er to  use  his  neighbor’s  and  wear  out  that,  he  is  covetous. 
Nevertheless,  few  bring  covetousness  thus  low,  or  consider  it 
so  narrowly;  which  yet  ought  to  be  done,  since  there  is  a 
justice  in  the  least  things,  and  for  the  least  there  shall  be  a 
judgment.  Country  people  are  full  of  these  petty  injustices, 
being  cunning  to  make  use  of  another,  and  spare  themselves. 
And  scholars  ought  to  be  diligent  in  the  observation  of  these, 
and  driving  of  their  general  school-rules  ever  to  the  smallest 
actions  of  life;  which,  while  they  dwell  in  their  books,  they 
will  never  find ; but,  being  seated  in  the  country,  and  doing 
their  duty  faithfully,  they  will  soon  discover;  especially  if 
they  carry  their  eyes  ever  open,  and  fix  them  on  their  charge 
and  not  on  their  preferment. 

Secondly,  for  gluttony,  the  parson  lays  this  ground.  He 
that  either  for  quantity  eats  more  than  his  health  or  employ- 
ment will  bear,  or  for  quality,  is  lickerous  after  dainties,  is  a 
glutton ; — as  he  that  eats  more  than  his  estate  will  bear,  is  a 
prodigal ; and  he  that  eats  offensively  to  the  company,  either 
in  his  order  or  length  of  eating,  is  scandalous  and  uncharita- 
ble. These  three  rules  generally  comprehend  the  faults  of 
eating  ; and  the  truth  of  them  needs  no  proof.  So  that  men 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSOlSf. 


203 


must  eat,  neither  to  the  disturbance  of  their  health,  nor  of 
their  affairs  (which,  being  over-burdened,  or  studying  dain- 
ties too  much,  they  cannot  well  despatch),  nor  of  their  es- 
tate, nor  of  their  brethren.  One  act  in  these  things  is  bad  ; 
but  it  is  the  custom  and  habit  that  names  a glutton.  Many 
think  they  are  at  more  liberty  than  they  are,  as  if  they  were 
masters  of  their  health;  and,  so  they  will  stand  to  the  pain, 
all  is  well.  But  to  eat  to  one’s  hurt  comprehends,  besides 
the  hurt,  an  act  against  reason,  because  it  is  unnatural  to 
hurt  one’s  self;  and  this  they  are  not  masters  of.  Yet,  of 
hurtful  things,  1 am  more  bound  to  abstain  from  those,  which 
by  mine  own  experience  I have  found  hurtful,  than  from 
those  which  by  a common  tradition  and  vulgar  knowledge 
are  reputed  to  be  so.  That  which  is  said  of  hurtful  meats, 
extends  to  hurtful  drinks  also.  As  for  the  quantity,  touching 
our  employments,  none  must  eat  so  as  to  disable  themselves 
from  a fit  discharging  either  of  divine  duties,  or  duties  of 
their  calling.  So  that,  if  after  dinner  they  are  not  fit  (or  un- 
wieldy) either  to  pray  or  work,  they  are  gluttons.  Not  that 
all  must  presently  work  after  dinner ; for  they  rather  must 
not  work,  especially  students,  and  those  that  are  weakly  ; 
but  that  they  must  rise  so,  as  that  it  is  not  meat  or  drink  that 
hinders  them  from  working.  To  guide  them  in  this,  there 
are  three  rules.  First,  the  custom  and  knowledge  of  their 
own  body,  and  what  it  can  well  digest ; the  second,  the  feel- 
ing of  themselves  in  time  of  eating ; which  because  it  is  de- 
ceitful, for  one  thinks  in  eating,  that  he  can  eat  more  than 
afterwards  he  finds  true ; the  third  is  the  observation  with 
what  appetite  they  sit  down.  This  last  rule,  joined  with  the 
first,  never  fails.  For,  knowing  what  one  usually  can  well 
digest,  and  feeling  when  1 go  to  meat  in  what  disposition  I 
am,  either  hungry  or  not ; according  as  I feel  myself,  either 
I take  my  wonted  proportion,  or  diminish  of  it.  Yet  physi- 
cians bid  those  that  would  live  in  health,  not  keep  a uniform 
diet,  but  to  feed  variously  ; now  more,  now  less.  And  Ger- 
son,  a spiritual  man,  wisheth  all  to  incline  rather  to  too  much 
than  to  too  little ; his  reason  is,  because  diseases  of  exinani- 
tion are  more  dangerous  than  diseases  of  repletion.  But  the 
parson  distinguisheth  according  to  his  double  aim ; either  of 
abstinence  a moral  virtue,  or  mortification  a divine.  When 
he  deals  with  any  that  is  heavy  and  carnal,  he  gives  him  those 
freer  rules.  But  when  he  meets  with  a refined  and  heavenly 
disposition,  he  carries  them  higher,  even  sometimes  to  a for- 


204 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


getting  of  themselves;  knowing  that  there  is  one  who,  when 
they  forget,  remembers  for  them.  As  when  the  people  hun- 
gered and  thirsted  after  our  Saviour’s  doctrine,  and  tarried 
so  long  at  it,  that  they  would  have  fainted  had  they  returned 
empty,  he  suffered  it  not;  but  rather  made,  food  miraculous- 
ly, than  suffered  so  good  desires  to  miscarry. 


CHAPTER  XXVIL 

THE  PARSON  IN  MIRTH. 

The  Country  Parson  is  generally  sad,  because  he  knows 
nothing  but  the  cross  of  Christ ; his  mind  being  defixed  on  it 
with  those  nails  wherewith  his  Master  was.  Or,  if  he  have 
any  leisure  to  look  off  from  thence,  he  meets  continually  with 
two  most  sad  spectacles — sin  and  misery;  God  dishonored 
every  day,  and  man  afflicted.  Nevertheless,  he  sometimes 
refresheth  himself,  as  knowing  that  nature  will  not  bear  ev- 
erlasting droopings,  and  that  pleasantness  of  disposition  is  a 
great  key  to  do  good ; not  only  because  all  men  shun  the 
company  of  perpetual  severity,  but  also  for  that,  when  they 
are  in  company,  instructions  seasoned  with  pleasantness  both 
enter  sooner  and  root  deeper.  Wherefore  he  condescends  to 
human  frailties,  both  in  himself  and  others ; and  intermin- 
gles some  mirth  in  his  discourses  occasionally,  according  to 
the  pulse  of  the  hearer. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

THE  PARSON  IN  CONTEMPT. 

The  Country  Parson  knows  well,  that, — both  for  the  gen- 
eral ignominy  which  is  cast  upon  the  profession,  and  much 
more  for  those  rules  which  out  of  his  choicest  judgment  he 
hath  resolved  to  observe,  and  which  are  described  in  this 
book, — he  must  be  despised.  Because  this  hath  been  the 
portion  of  God  his  Master,  and  bf  God’s  saints  his  brethren  ; 
and  this  is  foretold,  that  it  shall  be  so  still,  until  things  be  no 
more.  Nevertheless,  according  to  the  apostle’s  rule,  he  en- 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


205 


deavors  that  none  shall  despise  him  ; especially  in  his  own 
parish  he  suffers  it  not,  to  his  utmost  power,  for  that,  where 
contempt  is,  there  is  no  room  for  instruction.  This  he  pro- 
cures, first,  by  his  holy  and  unblamable  life ; which  carries  a 
reverence  with  it,  even  above  contempt.  Secondly,  by  a 
courteous  carriage  and  winning  behavior.  He  that  will  be 
respected,  must  respect;  doing  kindnesses,  but  receiving 
none,  at  least  of  those  who  are  apt  to  despise  ; for  this  argues 
a height  and  eminency  of  mind  which  is  not  easily  despised, 
except  it  degenerate  to  pride.  Thirdly,  by  a bold  and  im- 
partial reproof,  even  of  the  best  in  the  parish,  when  occasion 
requires ; for  this  may  produce  hatred  in  those  that  are  re- 
proved, but  never  contempt,  either  in  them  or  others.  Last- 
ly, if  the  contempt  shall  proceed  so  far  as  to  do  anything  pun- 
ishable by  law,  as  contempt  is  apt  to  do  if  it  be  not  thwarted, 
the  parson,  having  a due  respect  both  to  the  person  and  to 
the  cause,  referreth  the  whole  matter  to  the  examination  and 
punishment  of  those  which  are  in  authority  ; that  so,  the 
sentence  lighting  upon  one,  the  example  may  reach  to  all. 

But  if  the  contempt  be  not  punishable  by  law  ; or,  being 
so,  the  parson  think  it  in  his  discretion  either  unfit  or  bootless 
to  contend ; then,  when  any  despises  him,  he  takes  it  either 
in  an  humble  way,  saying  nothing  at  all ; or  else  in  a slight- 
ing way,  showing  that  reproaches  touch  him  no  more  than  a 
stone  thrown  against  heaven,  where  he  is  and  lives ; or  in  a 
sad  way,  grieved  at  his  own  and  others’  sins,  which  continu- 
ally break  God’s  laws,  and  dishonor  him  with  those  mouths 
which  he  continually  fills  and  feeds  ; or  else  in  a doctrinal' 
way,  saying  to  the  contemner,  “ Alas,  why  do  you  thus  ? you 
hurt  yourself,  not  me  ; he  that  throws  a stone  at  another,  hits 
himself;”  and  so,  between  gentle  reasoning  and  pitying,  he 
overcomes  the  evil ; or,  lastly,  in  a triumphant  way,  being 
glad  and  joyful  that  he  is  made  conformable  to  his  Master, 
and,  being  in  the  world  as  he  was,  hath  this  undoubted  pledge 
of  his  salvation.  These  are  the  five  shields,  wherewith  the 
godly  receive  the  darts  of  the  wicked  ; leaving  anger  and  re- 
torting and  revenge  to  the  children  of  the  world  ; whom  an- 
other’s ill  mastereth  and  leadeth  captive,  without  resistance, 
even  in  resistance,  to  the  same  destruction.  For  while  they 
resist  the  person  that  reviles,  they  resist  not  the  evil  which 
takes  hold  of  them,  and  is  far  the  worse  enemy. 

18  . 


206 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

THE  PARSON  WITH  HIS  CHURCH -WARDENS, 

The  Country  Parson  doth  often,  both  publicly  and  pri- 
vately, instruct  his  church-wardens,  what  a great  charge  lies 
upon  them ; ajid  that,  indeed,  the  whole  order  and  discipline 
of  the  parish  is  put  into  their  hands.  If  himself  reform  any- 
thing, it  is  out  of  the  overflowing  of  his  conscience ; where- 
as th^ey  are  to  do^it  by  command  and  by  oath.  Neither  hath 
the  place  its  dignity  from  the  ecclesiastical  laws  only ; since 
even  by  the  common  statute-law  they  are  taken  for  a kind  of 
corporation,  as  being  persons  enabled  by  that  name  to  take 
moveable  goods  or  chattels,  and  to  sue  and  to  be  sued  at  the 
law  concerning  such  goods,  for  the  use  and  profit  of  their  pa- 
rish ; and  by  the  same  law,  they  are  to  levy  penalties  for  neg- 
ligence in  resorting  to  church,  or  for  disorderly  carriage  in 
time  of  divine  service.  Wheref()re  the  parson  suffers  not  the 
place  to  be  vilified  or  debased,  by  being  cast  on  the  lower 
rank  of  people ; but  invites  and  urges  the  best  unto  it,  show- 
ing that  they  do  not  lose  or  go  less,  but  gain,  by  it ; — it  being 
the  greatest  honor  of  this  world,  to  do  God  and  his  chosen 
service : or,  as  David  says,  to  he  even  a door-keeper  in  the 
house  of  God.  Now,  the  canons  being  the  church- wardens^ 
rule,  the  parson  adviseth  them  to  read  or  hear  them  read  of- 
ten, as  also  the  visitation  articles,  which  are  grounded  upon 
the  canons;  that  so  they  may  know  their  duty  and  keep  their 
oath,  the  better.  In  which  regard,  considering  the  great 
consequence  of  their  place  and  more  of  their  oath,  he  wish- 
eth  them  by  no  means  to  spare  any,  though  never  so  great ; 
but  if,  after  gentle  and  neighborly  admonitions,  they  still 
persist  in  ill,  to  present  them ; yea,  though  they  be  tenants,  or 
otherwise  engaged  to  the  delinquent;  for  their  obligation  to 
God  and  their  own  soul  is  above  any  temporal  tie.  Do 
well  and  right,  and  let  the  world  sink.” 


CHAPTER  XXX 

THE  parson’s  consideration  OF  PROVIDENCE. 

The  Country  Parson, — considering  the  great  aptness 
country  people  have  to  think  that  all  things  come  by  a kind 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


207 


of  natural  course ; and  that  if  they  sow  and  soil  their  grounds, 
they  must  have  corn;  if  they  keep  and  fodder  well  their  cat- 
tle, they  must  have  milk  and  calves, — labors  to  reduce  them 
to  see  God's  hand  in  all  things;  and  to  believe,  that  things 
are  not  set  in  such  an  inevitable  order,  but  that  God  often 
changeth  it  according  as  he  sees  fit,  either  for  reward  or  pun- 
ishment. To  this  end  he  represents  to  his  flock,  that  God 
hath  and  exerciseth  a threefold  power,  in  everything  which 
concerns  man.  The  first  is  a sustaining  power  ; the  second, 
a governing  power  ; the  third,  a spiritual  power.  By  his 
sustaining  power  he  preserves  and  actuates  everything  in  his 
being.  So  that  corn  doth  not  grow  by  any  other  virtue,  than 
by  that  which  he  continually  supplies  as  the  corn  needs  it  ; 
without  which  supply,  the  corn  would  instantly  dry  up,  as  a 
river  would  if  the  fountain  were  stopped.  And  it  is  observa- 
ble, that,  if  anything  could  presume  of  an  inevitable  course 
and  constancy  in  its  operations,  certainly  it  should  be  either 
the  sun  in  heaven,  or  the  fire  on  earth  ; by  reason  of  their 
fierce,  strong  and  violent  natures.  Yet  when  God  pleased, 
the' sun  stood  still,  the  fire  burned  not.  By  God’s  governing 
power,  he  preserves  and  orders  the  references  of  things  one 
to  the  other.  So  that,  though  the  corn  do  grow,  and  be  pre- 
served in  that  act  by  his  sustaining  power,  yet  if  he  suit  not 
other  things  to  the  growth  (as  seasons  and  weather,  and  oth- 
er accidents),  by  his  governing  power,  the  fairest  harvests 
come  to  nothing.  And  it  is  observable,  that  God  delights  to 
have  men  feel,  and  acknowledge,  and  reverence  his  power ; 
and  therefore  he  often  overturns  things,  when  they  are  thought 
past  danger.  That  is  his  time  of  interposing.  As  when  a 
merchant  hath  a ship  come  home,  after  many  a storm  w^hich 
it  hath  escaped,  he  destroys  it  sometimes  in  the  very  haven  ; 
or,  if  the  goods  be  housed,  a fire  hath  broken  forth  and  sud- 
denly consumed  them.  Now  this  he  doth,  that  men  should 
perpetuate,  and  not  break  off,  their  acts  of  dependence ; how 
fair  soever  the  opportunities  present  themselves.  So  that  if 
a farmer  should  depend  upon  God  all  the  year,  and,  being 
ready  to  put  hand  to  the  sickle,  shall  then  secure  himself, 
and  think  all  cocksure  ; then  God  sends  such  weather,  as 
lays  the  corn  and  destroys  it.  Or  if  he  depend  on  God  fur- 
ther, even  till  he  imbarn  his  corn,  and  then  think  all  sure ; 
then  God  sends  a fire  and  consumes  all  that  he  hath.  For 
that  he  ought  not  to  break  off,  but  to  continue,  his  depen- 
dence on  God  ; not  only  before  the  corn  is  inned,  but  after 


208 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


also ; and,  indeed,  to  depend  and  fear  continually.  The 
third  power  is  spiritual,  by  which  God  turns  all  outward  bless- 
ings to  inward  advantages.  So  that  if  a farmer  hath  both  a 
fair  harvest,  and  that  also  well  inned  and  imbarned,  and  con- 
tinuing safe  there  ; yet  if  God  give  him  not  grace  to  use  and 
utter  this  well,  all  his  advantages  are  to  his  loss.  Better  were 
his  corn  burnt,  than  not  spiritually  improved.  And  it  is  ob- 
servable in  this,  how  God’s  goodness  strives  with  man’s  re- 
fractoriness. Man  would  sit  down  at  this  world  ; God  bids 
him  sell  it,  and  purchase  a better.  Just  as  a father,  who 
hath  in  his  hand  an  apple,  and  a piece  of  gold  under  it ; the 
child  comes,  and  with  pulling  gets  the  apple  out  of  his  fa- 
ther’s hand  ; his  father  bids  him  throw  it  away,  and  he  will 
give  him  the  gold  for  it ; which  the  child  utterly  refusing, 
eats  it,  and  is  troubled  with  worms, — so  is  the  carnal  and 
wilful  man  with  the  worm  of  the  grave  in  this  world,  and  the 
worm  of  conscience  in  the  next. 


CHAPTEK  XXXI. 

THEPARSONINLIBERTY. 

The  Country  Parson,  observing  the  manifold  wiles  of  Sa- 
tan (who  plays  his  part  sometimes  in  drawing  God’s  servants 
from  him,  sometimes  in  perplexing  them  in  the  service  of 
God),  stands  fast  in  the  liberty  wherewith  Christ  hath  made 
us  free.  This  liberty  he  compasseth  by  one  distinction  ; and 
that  is,  of  what  is  necessary,  and  what  is  additionary.  As 
for  example ; it  is  necessary,  that  all  Christians  should  pray 
twice  a day,  every  day  of  the  week,  and  four  times  on  Sun- 
day, if  they  be  well.  This  is  so  necessary  and  essential  to  a 
Christian,  that  he  cannot,  without  this,  maintain  himself  in  a 
Christian  state.  Besides  this,  the  godly  have  ever  added 
some  hours  of  prayer ; as  at  nine,  or  at  three,  or  at  midnight 
or  as  they  think  fit,  and  see  cause,  or  rather,  as  God’s  Spirit 
leads  them.  But  these  prayers  are  not  necessary,  but  addi- 
tionary. Now  it  so  happens,  that  the  godly  petitioner,  upon 
some  emergent  interruption  in  the  day,  or  by  oversleeping 
himself  at  night,  omits  his  additionary  prayer.  Upon  this, 
his  mind  begins  to  be  perplexed  and  troubled  ; and  Satan, 
who  knows  the  exigent,  blows  the  fire,  endeavoring  to  disor- 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


209 


der  the  Christian,  and  put  him  out  of  his  station,  and  to  en- 
large the  perplexity,  until  it  spread,  and  taint  his  other  du- 
ties of  piety,  which  none  can  perform  so  well  in  trouble  as  in 
calmness.  Here  the  parson  interposeth  with  his  distinction, 
and  shows  the  perplexed  Christian,  that — this  prayer  being 
additionary,  not  necessay  ; taken  in,  not  commanded, — the 
omission  thereof  upon  just  occasion  ought  by  no  means  to 
trouble  him.  God  knows  the  occasion  as  well  as  he ; and 
he  is  a gracious  father,  who  more  accepts  a common  course 
of  devotion,  than  dislikes  an  occasional  interruption.  And 
of  this  he  is  so  to  assure  himself,  as  to  admit  no  scruple,  but 
to  go  on  as  cheerfully  as  if  he  had  not  been  interrupted.  By 
this  it  is  evident,  that  the  distinction  is  of  singular  use  and 
comfort ; especially  to  pious  minds,  which  are  ever  tender 
and  delicate.  But  here  there  are  two  cautions  to  be  added. 
First,  that  this  interruption  proceed  not  out  of  slackness  or 
coldness ; which  will  appear  if  the  pious  soul  foresee  and 
prevent  such  interruptions,  what  he  may,  before  they  come ; 
and  when,  for  all  that,  they  do  come,  he  be  a little  affected 
therewith,  but  not  afflicted  or  troubled ; if  he  resent  it  to  a 
mislike,  but  not  a grief.  Secondly,  that  this  interruption 
proceed  not  out  of  shame.  As  for  example ; a godly  man, 
not  out  of  superstition,  but  of  reverence  to  God’s  house,  re- 
solves whenever  he  enters  into  a church,  to  kneel  down  and 
pray ; either  blessing  God,  that  he  will  be  pleased  to  dwell 
among  men ; or  beseeching  him  that  whenever  he  repairs  to 
his  house,  he  may  behave  himself  so  as  befits  so  great  a pres- 
ence ; and  this  briefly.  But  it  happens  that,  near  the  place 
where  he  is  to  pray,  he  spies  some  scoffing  ruffian,  who  is 
likely  to  deride  him  for  his  pains.  If  he  now  shall,  either 
for  fear  or  shame,  break  his  custom,  he  shall  do  passing  ill ; 
so  much  the  rather  ought  he  to  proceed,  as  that  by  this  he 
may  take  into  his  prayer  humiliation  also.  On  the  other 
side,  if  I am  to  visit  the  sick  in  haste,  and  my  nearest  way 
lie  through  the  church,  I will  not  doubt  to  go  without  staying 
to  pray  there,  (but  only,  as  I pass,  in  my  heart,)  because 
this  kind  of  prayer  is  additionary,  not  necessary ; and  the 
other  duty  overweighs  it ; so  that  if  any  scruple  arise,  I will 
throw  it  away,  and  be  most  confident  that  God  is  not  dis- 
pleased. 

This  distinction  may  run  through  all  Christian  duties ; and 
it  is  a great  stay  and  settling  to  religious  souls. 

18* 


210 


THE  COUNTRY  TARSON. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

THE  parson’s  surveys. 

The  Country  Parson  hath  not  only  taken  a particular  sur- 
vey of  the  faults  of  his  own  parish,  but  a general  also  of  the 
diseases  of  the  time ; that  so,  when  his  occasions  carry  him 
abroad  or  bring  strangers  to  him,  he  may  be  the  better  arm- 
ed to  encounter  them.  The  great  and  national  sin  of  this 
land,  he  esteems  to  be  idleness;  great  in  itself  and  great  in 
consequence ; for  when  men  have  nothing  to  do,  then  they  fall 
to  drink,  to  steal,  to  whore,  to  scoff,  to  revile,  to  all  sorts  of 
gamings.  ‘‘  Come,”  say  they,  we  have  nothing  to  do ; 
let’s  go  to  the  tavern,  or  to  the  stews or  what  not  ? 
Wherefore  the  parson  strongly  opposeth  this  sin,  wheresoever 
he  goes. 

And  because  idleness  is  twofold, — the  one  in  having  no 
calling,  the  other  in  walking  carelessly  in  our  calling, — he 
first  represents  to  everybody  the  necessity  of  a vocation. 
The  reason  of  this  assertion  is  taken  from  the  nature  of  man  ; 
wherein  God  hath  placed  two  great  instruments,  reason  in 
the  soul,  and  a hand  in  the  body,  as  engagements  of  work- 
ing. So  that  even  in  paradise  man  had  a calling;  and  how 
much  more  out  of  paradise?  when  the  evils  which  he  is  now 
subject  unto,  may  be  prevented  or  diverted  by  reasonable 
employment.  Besides,  every  gift  or  ability  is  a talent  to  be 
accounted  for,  and  to  be  improved  to  our  Master’s  advantage. 
Yet  it  is  also  a debt  to  our  country  to  have  a calling ; and  it 
concerns  the  commonwealth,  that  none  should  be  idle,  but 
all  busied.  Lastly,  riches  are  the  blessing  of  God,  and  the 
great  instrument  of  doing  admirable  good  ; therefore  all  are 
to  procure  them,  honestly  and  seasonably,  when  they  are 
not  better  employed.  Now  this  reason  crosseth  not  our  Sa- 
viour’s precept  of  selling  what  we  have ; because  when  we 
have  sold  all  and  given  it  to  the  poor,  we  must  not  be  idle, 
but  labor  to  get  more,  that  we  may  give  more;  according  to 
St.  Paul’s  rule,  Eph.  4:  28.  1 Thess.  4:  11,  12.  So  that  our 
Saviour’s  selling  is  so  far  from  crossing  St.  Paul’s  working, 
that  it  rather  stablisheth  it ; since  they  that  have  nothing, 
are  fittest  to  work. 

Now  because  the  only  opposer  to  this  doctrine  is  the  gal- 
lant, who  is  witty  enough  to  abuse  both  others  and  himself, 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


211 


and  who  is  ready  to  ask,  if  he  shall  mend  shoes,  or  what  he 
shall  do;  therefore  the  parson,  unmoved,  showeth,  that  in- 
genious and  fit  employment  is  never  wanting  to  those  that 
seek  it.  But,  if  it  should  be,  the  assertion  stands  thus  ; — All 
are  either  to  have  a calling,  or  prepare  for  it ; he  that  hath  or 
can  have  yet  no  employment,  if  he  truly  and  seriously  pre- 
pare for  it,  he  is  safe,  and  within  bounds.  Wherefore  all  are 
either  presently  to  enter  into  a calling,  if  they  befit  for  it,  and 
it  for  them ; or  else  to  examine,  with  care  and  advice,  what 
they  are  fittest  for,  and  to  prepare  for  that  with  all  dili- 
gence. 

But  it  will  not  be  amiss,  in  this  exceeding  useful  point,  to 
descend  to  particulars;  for  exactness  lies  in  particulars. 

Men  are  either  single  or  married.  The  married  and  house- 
keeper hath  his  hands  full,  if  he  do  what  he  ought  to  do. 
For  there  are  two  branches  of  his  affairs;  first,  the  improve- 
ment of  his  family,  by  bringing  them  up  in  the  fear  and  nur- 
ture of  the  Lord ; and  secondly,  the  improvement  of  his 
grounds,  by  drowning,  or  draining,  or  stocking,  or  fencing, 
or  ordering  his  land  to  the  best  advantage  both  of  himself  and 
his  neighbors.  The  Italian  says — none  fouls  his  hands  in 
his  own  business.”  And  it  is  an  honest  and  just  care,  so  it 
exceed  not  bounds,  for  every  one  to  employ  himself  to  the 
advancement  of  his  affairs,  that  he  may  have  wherewithal  to 
do  good.  But  his  family  is  his  best  care ; to  labor  Chris- 
tian souls,  and  raise  them  to  their  height,  even  to  heaven  ; to 
dress  and  prune  them,  and  take  as  much  joy  in  a straight- 
growing child  or  servant,  as  a gardener  doth  in  a choice  tree. 
Could  men  find  out  this  delight,  they  would  seldom  be  from 
home  ; whereas  now,  of  any  place,  they  are  least  there.  But 
if,  after  all  this  care  well-despatched,  the  house-keeper’s  fam- 
ily be  so  small,  and  his  dexterity  so  great,  that  he  have  leis- 
ure to  look  out,  the  village  or  parish  which  either  he  lives  in 
or  is  near  unto  it,  is  his  employment.  He  considers  every 
one  there ; and  either  helps  them  in  particular,  or  hath  gen- 
eral propositions  to  the  whole  town  or  hamlet,  of  advancing 
the  public  stock,  and  managing  commons  or  woods,  accord- 
ing as  the  place  suggests.  But  if  he  may  be  of  the  commis- 
sion of  peace,  there  is  nothing  to  that.  No  commonwealth 
in  the  world  hath  a better  institution  than  that  of  justices  of 
the  peace.  For  it  is  both  a security  to  the  king,  vvho  hath 
so  many  dispersed  officers  at  his  beck  throughout  the  king- 
dom, accountable  for  the  public  good  ; and  also  an  honor  a- 


212 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


ble  employment  of  a gentle  or  nobleman  in  the  country  he 
lives  in,  enabling  him  with  power  to  do  good,  and  to  restrain 
all  those  who  else  might  both  trouble  him  and  the  whole  State. 
Wherefore  it  behoves  all,  who  are  come  to  the  gravity  and 
ripeness  of  judgment  for  so  excellent  a place,  not  to  refuse, 
but  rather  to  procure  it.  And,  whereas  there  are  usually 
three  objections  made  against  the  place  ; — the  one,  the  abuse 
of  it,  by  taking  petty  country  bribes  ; the  other,  the  casting 
of  it  on  mean  persons,  especially  in  some  shires  ; and  lastly, 
the  trouble  of  it ; — these  are  so  far  from  deterring  any  good 
man  from  the  place,  that  they  kindle  them  rather  to  redeem 
the  dignity  either  from  true  faults,  or  unjust  aspersions. 

Now,  for  single  men,  they  are  either  heirs,  or  younger 
brothers. — The  heirs  are  to  prepare  in  all  the  forementioned 
points  against  the  time  of  their  practice.  Therefore  they  are 
to  mark  their  father’s  discretion  in  ordering  his  house  and  af- 
fairs ; and  also  elsewhere,  when  they  see  any  remarkable 
point  of  education  or  good  husbandry,  and  to  transplant  it  in 
time  to  his  own  home ; with  the  same  care  as  others,  when 
they  meet  with  good  fruit,  get  a graft  of  the  tree,  enriching 
their  orchard  and  neglecting  their  house.  Besides,  they  are 
to  read  books  of  law  and  justice  ; especially  the  statutes  at 
large.  As  for  better  books,  of  divinity,  they  are  not  in  this 
consideration  ; because  we  are  about  a calling,  and  a prepa- 
ration thereunto.  But,  chiefly  and  above  all  things,  they  are 
to  frequent  sessions  and  assizes.  For  it  is  both  an  honor 
which  they  owe  to  the  reverend  judges  and  magistrates,  to 
attend  them,  at  least  in  their  shire ; and  it  is  a great  advan- 
tage to  know  the  practice  of  the  land,  for  our  law  is  practice. 
Sometimes  he  may  go  to  court,  as  the  eminent  place  both  of 
good  and  ill.  At  other  times  he  is  to  travel  over  the  king’s 
dominions;  cutting  out  the  kingdom  into  portions,  which 
every  year  he  surveys  piecemeal.  When  there  is  a parlia- 
ment, he  is  to  endeavor  by  all  means  to  be  a knight  or  bur- 
gess there ; for  there  is  no  school  to  a parliament.  And  when 
he  is  there,  he  must  not  only  be  a morning  man,  but  at  com- 
mittees also  ; for  there  the  particulars  are  exactly  discussed, 
which  are  brought  from  thence  to  the  house  but  in  general. 
When  none  of  these  occasions  call  him  abroad,  every  morn- 
ing that  he  is  at  home  he  must  either  ride  the  great  horse,  or 
exercise  some  of  his  military  postures.  For  all  gentlemen, 
that  are  not  weakened  and  disarmed  with  sedentary  lives,  are 
to  know  the  use  of  their  arms  ; and  as  the  husbandman  la- 


THE  CODNTRY  PARSON. 


218 


bors  for  them,  so  must  they  fight  for  and  defend  him,  when 
occasion  calls.  This  is  the  duty  of  each  to  other,  which  they 
ought  to  fulfil ; and  the  parson  is  a lover  of,  and  exciter  to 
justice  in  all  things  ; even  as  John  the  Baptist  squared  out  to 
every  one,  even  to  soldiers,  what  to  do.  As  for  younger 
brothers,  those  whom  the  parson  finds  loose,  and  not  engaged 
in  some  profession  by  their  parents,  (whose  neglect  in  this 
point  is  intolerable,  and  a shameful  wrong  both  to  the  com- 
monwealth and  their  own  house)  ; to  them,  after  he  hath 
showed  the  unlawfulness  of  spending  the  day  in  dressing, 
complimenting,  visiting  and  sporting,  he  first  commends  the 
study  of  the  civil  law,  as  a brave  and  wise  knowledge,  the 
professors  whereof  were  much  employed  by  Queen  Eliza- 
beth ; because  it  is  the  key  of  commerce,  and  discovers  the 
rules  of  foreign  nations.  Secondly,  he  commends  the  math- 
ematics, as  the  only  wonder-working  knowledge,  and  there- 
fore requiring  the  best  spirits.  After  the  several  knowledge 
of  these,  he  adviseth  to  insist  and  dwell  chiefly  on  the  two 
noble  branches  thereof,  of  fortification  and  navigation ; the 
one  being  useful  to  all  countries,  and  the  other  especially  to 
islands.  But  if  the  young  gallant  think  these  courses  dull 
and  phlegmatic,  where  can  he  busy  himself  better,  than  in 
those  new  plantations  and  discoveries,  which  are  not  only  a 
noble,  but  also,  as  they  may  be  handled,  a religious  employ- 
ment ? Or  let  him  travel  into  Germany  and  France ; and, 
observing  the  artifices  and  manufactures  there,  transplant 
them  hither,  as  divers  have  done  lately,  to  our  country’s  ad- 
vantage. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

THE  parson’s  library. 

The  Country  Parson’s  library  is  a holy  life  ; for  (besides 
the  blessing  that  that  brings  upon  it, — there  being  a promise, 
that  if  the  kingdom  of  God  be  first  sought,  all  other  things 
shall  be  added,)  even  itself  is  a sermon.  For,  the  tempta- 
tions with  which  a good  man  is  beset,  and  the  ways  which 
he  used  to  overcome  them,  being  told  to  another,  whether  in 
private  conference  or  in  the  church,  are  a sermon.  He  that 
hath  considered  how  to  carry  himself  at  table  about  his  appe- 


^14 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


tite,  if  he  tell  this  to  another,  preacheth ; and  much  more 
feelingly  and  judiciously,  than  he  writes  his  rules  of  temper- 
ance out  of  books.  So  that  the  parson  having  studied  and 
mastered  all  his  lusts  and  affections  within,  and  the  whole 
army  of  temptations  without,  hath  ever  so  many  sermons 
ready  penned,  as  he  hath  victories.  And  it  fares  in  this  as 
it  doth  in  physic.  He  that  hath  been  sick  of  a consumption, 
and  knows  what  recovered  him,  is  a physician,  so  far  as  he 
meets  with  the  same  disease  and  temper ; and  can  much 
better  and  particularly  do  it,  than  he  that  is  generally  learn- 
ed, and  was  never  sick.  And  if  the  same  person  had  been 
sick  of  all  diseases,  and  were  recovered  of  all,  by  things  that 
he  knew,  there  were  no  such  physician  as  he,  both  for  skill 
and  tenderness.  Just  so  it  is  in  divinity,  and  that  not  with- 
out manifest  reason.  For  though  the  temptations  may  be 
diverse  in  divers  Christians,  yet  the  victory  is  alike  in  all, 
being  by  the  selfsame  Spirit. 

Neither  is  this  true  only  in  the  military  state  of  a Christian 
life,  but  even  in  the  peaceable  also ; when  the  servant  of  God, 
freed  for  a while  from  temptation,  in  a quiet  sweetness  seeks 
bow  to  please  God.  Thus  the  parson,  considering  that  re- 
pentance is  the  great  virtue  of  the  gospel,  and  one  of  the 
first  steps  of  pleasing  God,  having  for  his  own  use  examined 
the  nature  of  it,  is  able  to  explain  it  after  to  others.  And, 
particularly,  having  doubted  sometimes,  whether  his  repen- 
tance were  true,  or  at  least  in  that  degree  it  ought  to  be, — 
since  he  found  himself  sometimes  to  weep  more  for  the  loss 
of  some  temporal  things  than  for  offending  God, — he  came 
at  length  to  this  resolution,  that  repentance  is  an  act  of  the 
mind,  not  of  the  body  (even  as  the  original  signifies),  and 
that  the  chief  thing  which  God  in  Scriptures  requires,  is  the 
heart  and  the  spirit,  and  to  worship  him  in  truth  and  spirit. 
Wherefore,  in  case  a Christian  endeavor  to  weep  and  cannot, 
since  we  are  not  masters  of  our  bodies,  this  sufficeth.  And 
consequently  he  found  that  the  essence  of  repentance,  (that  it 
may  be  alike  in  all  God’s  children, — which,  as  concerning 
weeping,  it  cannot  be,  some  being  of  a more  melting  temper 
than  others,)  consisteth  in  a true  detestation  of  the  soul, 
abhoring  and  renouncing  sin,  and  turning  unto  God  in  truth 
of  heart  and  newness  of  life ; which  acts  of  repentance  are 
and  must  be  found  in  all  God’s  servants.  Not  that  weeping 
is  not  useful,  where  it  can  be  (that  so  the  body  may  join  in 
the  grief,  as  it  did  in  the  sin),  but  that,  so  the  other  acts  be, 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


215 


that  is  not  necessary.  So  that  he  as  truly  repents,  who  per- 
forms the  other  acts  of  repentance,  when  he  cannot  more,  as 
he  that  weeps  a flood  of  tears.  This  instruction  and  comfort 
the  parson  getting  for  himself,  when  he  tells  it  to  others,  be- 
comes a sermon.  The  like  he  doth  in  other  Christian  vir- 
tues, as  of  faith  and  love  and  the  cases  of  conscience  belong- 
ing thereto;  wherein,  as  St.  Paul  implies  that  he  ought, 
Rom.  ii,  he  first  preacheth  to  himself,  and  then  to  others. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

THE  PARSON^S  DEXTERITY  IN  APPLYING  OF 
REMEDIES. 

The  Country  Parson  knows  that  there  is  a double  state  of 
a Christian  even  in  this  life ; the  one  military,  the  other 
peaceable.  The  military  is,  when  we  are  assaulted  with  temp- 
tations, either  from  within  or  from  without.  The  peaceable 
is,  when  the  devil  for  a time  leaves  us,  as  he  did  our  Saviour, 
and  the  angels  minister  to  us  their  own  food,  even  joy,  and 
peace,  and  comfort  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  These  two  states 
were  in  our  Saviour,  not  only  in  the  beginning  of  his  preach- 
ing, but  afterwards  also,  (as,  Matt.  22:  85,  he  was  tempted; 
and  Luke  10:  21,  he  rejoiced  in  spirit);  and  they  must  be 
likewise  in  all  that  are  his.  Now  the  parson  having  a spirit- 
ual judgment,  according  as  he  discovers  any  of  his  flock  to 
be  in  one  and  the  other  state,  so  he  applies  himself  to 
them. 

Those  that  he  finds  in  the  peaceable  state,  he  adviseth  to 
be  very  vigilant,  and  not  to  let  go  the  reins  as  soon  as  the 
horse  goes  easy.  Particularly,  he  counselleth  them  to  two 
things.  First,  to  take  heed  lest  their  quiet  betray  them,  as  it 
is  apt  to  do,  to  a coldness  and  carelessness  in  their  devotions  ; 
but  to  labor  still  to  be  as  fervent  in  Christian  duties,  as  they 
remember  themselves  were,  when  affliction  did  blow  the 
coals.  Secondly,  not  to  take  the  full  compass  and  liberty  of 
their  peace ; not  to  eat  of  all  those  dishes  at  table,  which 
even  their  present  health  otherwise  admits  ; nor  to  store  their 
house  with  all  those  furnitures,  which  even  their  present 
plenty  of  wealth  otherwise  admits ; nor,  when  they  are 


216 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


among  them  that  are  merry,  to  extend  themselves  to  all  that 
mirth,  which  the  present  occasion  of  wit  and  company  other- 
wise admits;  but  to  put  bounds  and  hoops  to  their  joys;  so 
will  they  last  the  longer,  and,  when  they  depart,  return  the 
sooner.  If  we  would  judge  ourselves,  we  should  not  be  judged  ; 
and  if  we  would  bound  ourselves,  we  should  not  be  bounded. 
But  if  they  shall  fear  that,  at  such  or  such  a time,  their  peace 
and  mirth  have  carried  them  further  than  this  moderation ; 
then  to  take  Job’s  admirable  course,  who  sacrificed,  lest  his 
children  should  have  transgressed  in  their  mirth.  So  let  them 
go,  and  find  some  poor  afflicted  soul,  and  there  be  bountiful 
and  liberal ; for  with  such  sacrifices  God  is  well  pleased. 

Those  that  the  parson  finds  in  the  military  state,  he  forti- 
fies, and  strengthens  with  his  utmost  skill.  Now,  in  those 
that  are  tempted,  whatsoever  is  unruly  falls  upon  two  heads. 
Either  they  think  that  there  is  none  that  can  or  will  look 
after  things,  but  all  goes  by  chance  or  wit ; or  else,  though 
there  be  a great  Governor  of  all  things,  yet  to  them  he  is  lost ; 
as  if  they  said,  God  doth  forsake  and  persecute  them,  and 
there  is  none  to  deliver  them. 

If  the  parson  suspect  the  first,  and  find  sparks  of  such 
thoughts  now  and  then  to  break  forth,  then,  without  oppos- 
ing directly  (for  disputation  is  no  cure  for  atheism),  he  scat- 
ters in  his  discourse  three  sorts  of  arguments  ; the  first  taken 
from  nature,  the  second  from  law,  the  third  from  grace. — 
For  nature^  he  sees  not  how  a house  could  be  either  built 
without  a builder,  or  kept  in  repair  without  a house-keeper. 
He  conceives  not  possibly  how  the  winds  should  blow  so 
much  as  they  can,  and  the  sea  rage  so  much  as  it  can,  and 
all  things  do  what  they  can ; and  all,  not  without  dissolution 
of  the  whole,  but  also  of  any  part,  by  taking  away  so  much 
as  the  usual  seasons  of  summer  and  winter,  earing  and  har- 
vest. Let  the  weather  be  what  it  will,  still  we  have  bread ; 
though  sometimes  more,  sometimes  less ; wherewith  also  a 
carefiil  Joseph  might  meet.  He  conceives  not  possibly  how 
he,  that  would  believe  a divinity  if  he  had  been  at  the  creation 
of  all  things,  should  less  believe  it,  seeing  the  preservation 
of  all  things.  For  preservation  is  a creation;  and  more,  it 
is  a continued  creation,  and  a creation  every  moment. — 
Secondly,  for  the  law,  there  may  be  so  evident,  though  un- 
used a proof  of  divinity  taken  from  thence,  that  the  atheist  or 
Epicurean  can  have  nothing  to  contradict.  The  Jews  yet 
live,  and  are  known.  They  have  their  law  and  language 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


217 


bearing  witness  to  them,  and  they  to  it.  They  are  circum- 
cised to  this  day,  and  expect  the  promises  of  the  Scripture. 
Their  country  also  is  known ; the  places  and  rivers  travelled 
unto  and  frequented  by  others,  but  to  them  an  unpenetrable 
rock,  an  unaccessible  desert.  Wherefore,  if  the  Jews  live,, 
all  the  great  wonders  of  old  live  in  them ; and  then  who  can 
deny  the  stretched-out  arm  of  a mighty  God  ? especially 
since  it  may  be  a just  doubt,  whether,  considering  the  stub- 
bornness of  the  nation,  their  living  then  in  their  country 
under  so  many  miracles  were  a stranger  thing,  than  their 
present  exile,  and  disability  to  live  in  their  country.  And  it 
is  observable,  that  this  very  thing  was  intended  by  God  ; that 
the  Jews  should  be  his  proof  and  witnesses,  as  he  calls  them, 
Isa.  43:  12.  And  their  very  dispersion  in  all  lands  was  in- 
tended, not  only  for  a punishment  to  them,  but  as  an  excit- 
ing of  others,  by  their  sight,  to  the  acknowledging  of  God 
and  his  power,  Ps.  59:  11 ; and  therefore  this  kind  of  pun- 
ishment was  chosen  rather  than  any  other. — Thirdly,  for 
grace.  Besides  the  continual  succession,  since  the  gospel, 
of  holy  men  who  have  borne  witness  to  the  truth,  there  being 
no  reason  w hy  any  should  distrust  St.  Luke,  or  Tertullian,  or 
Chrysostom,  more  than  Tully,  Virgil,  or  Livy;  there  are  two 
prophecies  in  the  gospel,  which  evidently  argue  Christ’s  di- 
vinity by  their  success.  The  one,  concerning  the  woman 
that  spent  the  ointment  on  our  Saviour ; for  which  he  told, 
that  it  should  never  be  forgotten,  but  with  the  gospel  itself 
be  preached  to  all  ages.  Matt.  26:  13.  The  other,  concern- 
ing the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  ; of  which  our  Saviour  said, 
that  that  generation  should  not  pass,  till  all  was  fulfilled^ 
Luke  21:  32  ; which  Josephus’  story  confirmeth,  and  the  con- 
tinuance of  which  verdict  is  yet  evident.  To  these  might  be 
added  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  in  all  nations.  Matt.  24: 
14  ; which  we  see  even  miraculously  effected  in  these  new 
discoveries,  God  turning  men’s  covetousness  and  ambitions  to 
the  effecting  of  his  word.  Now  a prophecy  is  a wonder  sent 
to  posterity,  lest  they  complain  of  want  of  wonders.  It  is  a 
letter  sealed,  and  sent ; which  to  the  bearer  is  but  paper,  but 
to  the  receiver  and  opener  is  full  of  power.  He  that  saw 
Christ  open  a blind  man’s  eyes,  saw  not  more  divinity,  than 
he  that  reads  the  woman’s  ointment  in  the  gospel,  or  sees 
Jerusalem  destroyed.  With  some  of  these  heads  enlarged, 
and  woven  into  his  discourse,  at  several  times  and  occasions, 
the  parson  settleth  wavering  minds. 

19 


218 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


But  if  he  sees  them  nearer  desperation  than  atheism,  not 
so  much  doubting  a God  as  that  he  is  theirs,  then  he  dives 
into  the  boundless  ocean  of  God’s  love,  and  the  unspeakable 
riches  of  his  loving  kindness.  He  hath  one  argument  unan- 
swerable. If  God  hate  them,  either  he  doth  it  as  they  are 
creatures,  dust  and  ashes ; or  as  they  are  sinful.  As  crea- 
tures, he  must  needs  love  them  ; for  no  perfect  artist  ever 
hated  his  own  work.  As  sinful,  he  must  much  more  love 
them  ; because,  notwithstanding  his  infinite  hate  of  sin,  his 
love  overcame  that  hate,  and  that  with  an  exceeding  great 
victory ; which  in  the  creation  needed  not,  gave  them  love 
for  love,  even  the  Son  of  his  love  out  of  his  bosom  of  love. 
So  that  man,  which  way  soever  he  turns,  hath  two  pledges  of 
God’s  love,  (that  in  the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses 
every  word  may  be  established) ; the  one  in  his  being,  the 
other  in  his  sinful  being ; and  this,  as  the  more  faulty  in 
him,  so  the  more  glorious  in  God.  And  all  may  certainly 
conclude  that  God  loves  them,  till  either  they  despise  that 
love,  or  despair  of  his  mercy.  Not  any  sin  else,  but  is  with- 
in his  love  ; but  the  despising  of  love  must  needs  be  without 
it.  The  thrusting  away  of  his  arm  makes  us  only  not  em- 
braced. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

THE  parson’s  condescending. 

The  Country  Parson  is  a lover  of  old  customs,  if  they  be 
good  and  harmless;  and  the  rather,  because  country  people 
are  much  addicted  to  them  ; so  that  to  favor  them  therein  is 
to  win  their  hearts,  and  to  oppose  them  therein  is  to  deject 
them.  If  there  be  any  ill  in  the  custom,  which  may  be  sev- 
ered from  the  good,  he  pares  the  apple,  and  gives  them  the 
clean  to  feed  on. 

Particularly,  he  loves  procession,  and  maintains  it ; be- 
cause there  are  contained  therein  four  manifest  advantages. 
First,  a blessing  of  God  for  the  fruits  of  the  field;  secondly, 
justice  in  the  preservation  of  bounds;  thirdly,  charity  in  lov- 
ing, walking  and  neighborly  accompanying  one  another,  with 
reconciling  of  differences  at  that  time,  if  there  be  any  ; fourth- 
ly, mercy  in  relieving  the  poor  by  a liberal  distribution  and 
largess,  which  at  that  time  is  or  ought  to  be  used.  Where- 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


219 


fore  he  exacts  of  all  to  be  present  at  the  perambulation  ; and 
those  that  withdraw  and  sever  themselves  from  it,  he  mislikes 
and  reproves  as  uncharitable  and  iinneighborly ; and,  if  they 
will  not  reform,  presents  them.  Nay,  he  is  so  far  from  con- 
demning such  assemblies,  that  he  rather  procures  them  to  be 
often ; as  knowing  that  absence  breeds  strangeness,  but  pres- 
ence, love.  Now  love  is  his  business  and  aim.  Wherefore 
he  likes  well  that  his  parish  at  good  times  invite  one  another 
to  their  houses,  and  he  urgeth  them  to  it.  And  sometimes 
where  he  knows  there  hath  been  or  is  a little  difference,  he 
takes  one  of  the  parties,  and  goes  with  him  to  the  other ; and 
all  dine  or  sup  together.  There  is  much  preaching  in  this 
friendliness. 

Another  old  custom  there  is  of  saying,  when  light  is 
brought  in,  God  sends  us  the  light  of  heaven  I”  and  the 
parson  likes  this  very  well.  Neither  is  he  afraid  of  praising 
or  praying  to  God  at  all  times,  but  is  rather  glad  of  catching 
opportunities  to  do  them.  Light  is  a great  blessing,  and  as 
great  as  food,  for  which  we  give  thanks;  and  those  that 
think  this  superstitious,  neither  know  superstition  nor  them- 
selves. As  for  those  that  are  ashamed  to  use  this  form,  as 
being  old  and  obsolete,  and  not  the  fashion,  he  reforms  and 
teaches  them,  that  at  baptism  they  professed  not  to  be 
ashamed  of  Christ’s  cross  or  for  any  shame  to  leave  that 
which  is  good.  He  that  is  ashamed  in  small  things,  will  ex- 
tend his  pusillanimity  to  greater.  Rather  should  a Christian 
soldier  take  such  occasions  to  harden  himself,  and  to  further 
his  exercises  of  mortification. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI, 

THE  PARSON  BLESSING. 

The  Country  Parson  wonders  that  blessing  the  people  is 
in  so  little  use  with  his  brethren  ; whereas  he  thinks  it  not  only 
a grave  and  reverend  thing,  but  a beneficial  also.  Those 
who  use  it  not,  do  so  either  out  of  niceness,  because  they 
like  the  salutations,  and  compliments,  and  forms  of  worldly 
language  better ; which  conformity  and  fashionableness  is  so 
exceeding  unbefitting  a minister,  that  it  deserves  reproof,  not 
refutation ; or  else,  because  they  think  it  empty  and  super- 


220 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


fliious.  But  that  which  the  apostles  used  so  diligently  in 
their  writings,  nay,  which  our  Saviour  himself  used,  Mark 
10:  16,  cannot  be  vain  and  superfluous.  But  this  was  not 
proper  to  Christ  or  the  apostles  only,  no  more  than  to  be  a 
spiritual  father  was  appropriated  to  them.  And  if  temporal 
fathers  bless  their  children,  how  much  more  may,  and  ought, 
spiritual  fathers!  Besides,  the  priests  of  the  Old  Testament 
were  commanded  to  bless  the  people;  and  the  form  thereof 
is  prescribed,  Num.  vi.  Now,  as  the  apostle  argues  in  an- 
other case,  if  the  ministration  of  condemnation  did  bless, 
how  shall  not  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit  exceed  in  bless- 
ing? The  fruit  of  this  blessing  good  Hannah  found,  and  re- 
ceived with  great  joy,  1 Sam.  1:  18,  though  it  came  from  a 
man  disallowed  by  God  ; for  it  was  not  the  person,  but 
priesthood,  that  blessed ; so  that  even  ill  priests  may  bless. 
Neither  have  the  ministers  power  of  blessing  only,  but  also 
of  cursing.  So,  in  the  Old  Testament,  Elisha  cursed  the 
children,  2 Kings  2:  24  ; which  though  our  Saviour  reproved, 
as  unfitting  for  his  particular,  who  was  to  show  all  humility 
before  his  passion,  yet  he  allows  it  in  his  apostles.  And 
therefore  St.  Peter  used  that  fearful  imprecation  to  Simon 
Magus,  Acts  viii, — Thy  money  perish  with  thee  ; and  the 
event  confirmed  it.  So  did  St.  Paul,  2 Tim.  4:  14,  and  1 
Tim.  1:20;  speaking  of  Alexander  the  copper-smith,  who 
had  withstood  his  preaching.  The  Lord,  saith  he,  reward 
him  according  to  his  works.  And  again,  of  Hymeneus  and 
Alexander  he  saith,  he  had  delivered  them  to  Satan,  that 
they  might  learn  not  to  blaspheme.  The  forms  both  of  bless- 
ing and  cursing  are  expounded  in  the  common  prayer-book  ; 
the  one,  in  ‘‘The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,’’  etc.  and 
“ The  peace  of  God,”  etc. ; the  other  in  general  in  the  Com- 
mination. 

Now  blessing  differs  from  prayer,  in  assurance;  because 
it  is  not  performed  by  way  of  request,  but  of  confidence  and 
power,  effectually  applying  God’s  favor  to  the  blessed,  by  the 
interesting  of  that  dignity  wherewith  God  hath  invested  the 
priest,  and  engaging  of  God’s  own  power  and  institution  for 
a blessing.  The  neglect  of  this  duty  in  ministers  themselves, 
hath  made  the  people  also  neglect  it ; so  that  they  are  so  far 
from  craving  this  benefit  from  their  ghostly  father,  that  they 
oftentimes  go  out  of  church  before  he  hath  blessed  them. 
In  the  time  of  popery,  the  priest’s  benedicite  and  his  holy 
water  were  over-highly  valued ; and  now  we  are  fallen  to  the 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


221 


clean  contrary  even  from  superstition  to  coldness  and  atheism. 
But  the  parson  first  values  the  gift  in  himself,  and  then 
teacheth  his  parish  to  value  it.  And  it  is  observable,  that, 
if  a minister  talk  with  a great  man  in  the  ordinary  course  of 
complimenting  language,  he  shall  be  esteemed  as  an  ordina- 
ry complimenter.  But  if  he  often  interpose  a blessing,  when 
the  other  gives  him  just  opportunity  by  speaking  any  good, 
this  unusual  form  begets  a reverence,  and  makes  him  es- 
teemed according  to  his  profession.  The  same  is  to  be  ob- 
served in  writing  letters  also. 

To  conclude ; if  all  men  are  to  bless  upon  occasion,  as 
appears,  Rom  12:  14,  how  much  more  those  who  are  spiritual 
fathers. 


CHAPTEE  XXXVIL 
CONCERNING  DETRACTION. 

The  Country  Parson,  perceiving  that  most,  w^hen  they 
are  at  leasure,  make  other^s  faults  their  entertainment  and 
discourse ; and  that  even  some  good  men  think,  so  they 
speak  truth,  they  may  disclose  another’s  fault,  finds  it  some- 
what difficult  how  to  proceed  in  this  point.  For  if  he  abso- 
lutely shut  up  men’s  mouths,  and  forbid  all  disclosing  of 
faults^  many  an  evil  may  not  only  be,  but  also  spread  in  his 
parish,  without  any  remedy,  (which  cannot  be  applied  with- 
out notice),  to  the  dishonor  of  God,  and  the  infection  of  his 
flock,  and  the  discomfort,  discredit  and  hindrance  of  the 
pastor.  On  the  other  side,  if  it  be  unlawful  to  open  faults, 
no  benefit  or  advantage  can  make  it  lawful ; for  we  must  not 
do  evil,  that  good  may  come  of  it. 

Now  the  parson,  taking  this  point  to  task,  which  is  so  ex- 
ceeding useful,  and  hath  taken  so  deep  root  that  it  seems  the 
very  life  and  substance  of  conversation,  hath  proceeded  thus 
far  in  the  discussing  of  it.  Faults  are  either  notorious,  or 
private.  Again,  notorious  faults  are  either  such  as  are  made 
known  by  common  fame ; and  of  these  those  that  know 
them  may  talk,  so  they  do  it  not  with  sport,  but  commisera- 
tion; or  else  such  as  have  passed  judgment,  and  been,  cor- 
rected either  by  whipping,  imprisoning,  or  the  like.  Of 
these  also  men  may  talk;  and  more,  they  may  discover  them 


222 


THE  COUNTRY  PARSON. 


to  those  that  know  them  not ; because  infamy  is  a part  of  the 
sentence  against  malefactors,  which  the  law  intends ; as  is 
evident  by  those,  which  are  branded  for  rogues  that  they 
may  be  known,  or  put  into  the  stocks  that  they  may  be  look- 
ed upon.  But  some  may  say,  though  the  law  allow  this,  the 
gospel  doth  not;  which  hath  so  much  advanced  charity,  and 
ranked  backbiters  among  the  generation  of  the  wicked, 
Rom.  1:  30.  But  this  is  easily  answered.  As  the  execu- 
tioner is  not  uncharitable  that  takes  away  the  life  of  the  con- 
demned, except,  besides  his  office,  he  adds  a tincture  of  pri- 
vate malice,  in  the  joy  and  haste  of  acting  his  part ; so  neith- 
er is  he  that  defames  him,  whom  the  law  would  have  de- 
famed, except  he  also  do  it  out  of  rancor.  For,  in  infamy, 
all  are  executioners ; and  the  law  gives  a malefactor  to  all  to 
be  defamed.  And,  as  malefactors  may  lose  and  forfeit  their 
goods  or  life;  so  may  they  their  good  name,  and  the  posses- 
sion thereof,  which,  before  their  offence  and  judgment,  they 
had  in  all  men’s  breasts.  For  all  are  honest,  till  the  con- 
trary be  proved.  Besides,  it  concerns  the  commonwealth 
that  rogues  should  be  known;  and  charity  to  the  public 
hath  the  precedence  of  private  charity.  So  that  it  is  so  far 
from  being  a fault  to  discover  such  offenders,  that  it  is  a duty 
rather ; which  may  do  much  good,  and  save  much  harm. 
Nevertheless,  if  the  punished  delinquent  shall  be  much 
troubled  for  his  sins,  and  turn  quite  another  man,  doubtless 
then  also  men’s  affections  and  words  must  turn,  and  forbear 
to  speak  of  that,  which  even  God  himself  hath  forgotten. 


(ISiltras  Salbfatiuisr 


BAXTEE’S  REEOEMED  PASTOR. 


ABRIDGED  AND  ARRANGED  BY 


SAMUEL  PALME  R, 
1766. 


Ex  seipsa  renascitur. — Plin.  De  Phoenice. 


PREFACE. 


In  the  following  Abridgement  of  Baxter’s  Reformed  Pastor, 
“ whatever  appeared  foreign  and  redundant  is  omitted ; sentences 
that  were  too  long  are  commonly  divided ; the  construction  of 
such  as  were  obscure  is  altered  ; and  obsolete  or  uncouth  words 
are  generally  changed  for  more  common  ones.  But  the  greatest  lib- 
erties have  been  taken  in  the  alteration  of  the  Method,  which  is  in  a 
manner  new  ; the  design  of  which  was  to  lessen  the  number  of 
divisions,  to  avoid  frequent  repetitions,  and  to  bring  together  in 
one  point  of  view,  all  the  author’s  thoughts  on  the  same  sub- 
jects, which  were  sometimes  scattered  in  four  or  five  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  treatise.  So  that  sentences,  paragraphs 
and  whole  heads  of  discourse,  are  transposed  with  great  free- 
dom, wherever  it  was  apprehended  it  would  be  of  advantage 
to  the  work ; which,  it  is  hoped,'  is  generally  the  case.  To 
point  out  these  several  transpositions,  would  be  tedious  and 
unnecessary.  But  it  was  proper  that  the  reader  should  be 
apprised  of  them,  lest,  if  he  should  give  himself  the  trouble  of 
comparing  this  work  with  the  original,  he  should  imagine  any 
important  passages  have  been  omitted ; or  that  any  additions 
have  been  made,  which,  he  may  be  assured,  there  have  not 
(excepting  the  contents  of  the  chapters)  unless  the  connection 
seemed  to  require  it;  and  in  that  case  the  words  inserted 
are  distinguished  by  crotchets  [thus].  The  utmost  care  has 
always  been  taken  to  preserve  the  author’s  sense ; and  in 
some  instances,  his  expressions,  though  rather  inaccurate,  are 
suffered  to  remain  as  they  were,  through  fear  of  altering 


226 


PREFACE. 


his  sentiment,  or  losing*  his  spirit,  by  correcting  them.  In 
short,  this  work  is  as  really  Mr.  Baxter’s  as  that  he  liimself 
published. — From  the  Preface  to  the  original  edition  of  Palmer^ s 
Abridgement,  published  in  London  in  1766. 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR- 


ACTS  90;  98. 

Take  heed  therefore  to  yourselves,  and  to  all  the  flock, 

OVER  WHICH  the  HoLY  GhOST  HATH  MADE  YOU  OVERSEERS  } TO 
FEED  THE  CHURCH  OF  GoD,  WHICH  HE  HATH  PURCHASED  WITH 
HIS  OWN  BLOOD. 

Reverend  and  dearly  beloved  Brethren  : 

If  the  people  of  our  charge  must  ‘ teach,  admonish  and 
exhort  one  another,’  Col.  3:  16.  Heb.  3: 13),  no  doubt  teach- 
ers  themselves  may  do  it,  as  brethren  in  office,  as  well  as  in 
faith,  without  pretending  to  any  supereminence  in  power  or 
degree. 

We  have  the  same  sins  to  mortify,  and  the  same  graces  to 
be  quickened  and  corroborated,  as  they  have.  We  have 
greater  works  than  they  have  to  do,  greater  difficulties  to 
overcome,  and  no  less  necessity  is  laid  upon  us.  We  have 
therefore  need  to  be  warned  and  awakened,  (if  not  instruct- 
ed,) as  well  as  they.  So  that  I confess,  I think  we  should 
meet  together  more  frequently,  if  we  had  nothing  else  to  do 
but  this.  And  we  should  deal  as  plainly  and  closely  with  one 
another,  as  the  most  serious  among  us  do  with  our  flocks  ; 
lest,  if  they  only  have  the  sharp  admonitions  and  reproofs, 
they  only  should  be  ‘sound  and  lively  in  the  faith.’  This 
was  Paul’s  judgment.  I need  no  other  proof  of  it,  than  this 
rousing,  heart-melting  exhortation  to  the  Ephesian  elders. 
A short  sermon,  but  not  soon  learned.  Had  the  bishops  and 
teachers  of  the  church  but  thoroughly  learned  it,  (though  to 
the  neglefct  of  many  a volume  which  has  taken  up  their  time 
and. helped  them  to  greater  applause  in  the  world,)  how  hap- 
py had  it  been  for  the  church  and  for  themselves  ! 

I shall  now  touch  upon  no  part  of  it  but  my  text.  The 
persons  here  addressed  under  the  characters  of  overseers  or 
shops,  were  officers  appointed  to  teach  and  guide 


228 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


the  Ephesian  church  in  the  way  to  salvation;  and  are  the 
same,  that  in  the  17th  verse  are  called  elders.  So  that  all 
persons  who  statedly  officiate  in  the  same  work  and  capacity, 
as  the  pastors  of  a particular  church,  may  consider  themselves 
as  included.! 

The  exhortation  here  addressed  to  such,  consisteth  of  two 
parts. 

The  First  is, — that  they  should  take  heed  to  themselves ; 
And  the 

Second, — That  they  should  take  heed  to  the  Flock  over 
which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made  them  overseers ; to  feed 
the  church  of  God,  which  he  hath  purchased  with  his  own 
blood. 

Both  these  articles  will,  in  the  following  work,  be  distinct- 
ly handled. 


PART  FIRST. 

OF  THE  DUTY  OF  CHRISTIAN  MINISTERS  WITH  REGARD  TO 
THEMSELVES. 

The  first  part  of  the  apostle’s  exhortation  respects  the  care 
that  ministers  ought  to  exercise  with  regard* to  their  own  dis- 
position and  behavior.  It  is  thus  expressed,  ‘ Take  heed 
therefore  to  yourselves,^  Let  us  then  in  the 

First  place,  consider  what  this  personal  care  is,  and  where- 
in it  consisteth. 

For  the  sake  of  brevity,  I will  join  the  explication  and  the 
application  together.  And  I beseech  you,  brethren,  let  your 
hearts  attend  as  well  as  your  understandings. 

I.  Above  all,  see  to  it  that  a work  of  saving  grace  be  tho- 
roughly wrought  on  your  own  souls. 

Take  heed  to  yourselves  lest  you  be  strangers  to  the  effec- 
tual working  of  that  gospel  which  you  preach  ; and  Test,  while 
you  proclaim  to  the  world  the  necessity  of  a Saviour,  your 
own  hearts  should  neglect  him,  and  you  should  miss  of  an 


^ If  the  reader  would  see  this  point  defended,  he  may  meet  with 
satisfaction  by  turning  to  the  original  work. 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


229 


interest  in  him  and  his  saving  benefits.  Be  that  first,  your- 
selves, which  you  persuade  your  hearers  to  be ; believe  that 
which  you  daily  persuade  them  to  believe;  and  heartily  en- 
tertain that  Christ  and  Spirit,  which  you  offer  to  them. 

You  have  a heaven  to  win  or  lose  yourselves,  and  souls  that 
must  be  happy  or  miserable  forever ; it  therefore  concerns 
you  to  begin  at  home,  and  take  heed  to  yourselves.  It  is 
possible  (though  an  unusual  thing),  that,  preaching  well  may 
succeed  to  the  salvation  of  others  without  the  holiness  of  your 
own  hearts  and  lives;  but  it  is  impossible  it  should  save  your 
own  souls.  Though  it  be  promised  to  “ them  that  turn  ma-> 
ny  to  righteousness  ” that  they  “ shall  shine  as  stars,”  Dan. 
12:  3,  it  is  on  supposition  that  they  be  first  turned  to  it  them- 
selves. Believe  it.  Sirs ; God  is  no  respecter  of  persons.” 
A holy  calling  will  not  save  an  unholy  man.  God  never  did 
save  any  man  for  being  a preacher,  nor  because  he  was  an 
able  preacher;  but  because  he  was  a justified,  sanctified 
man,  and  consequently  faithful  in  his  master’s  work.  Nor 
can  it  be  reasonably  expected  that  he  should  save  any  for  of- 
fering salvation  to  others,  while  they  refuse  it  themselves ; 
or  for  telling  others  those  truths,  which  they  themselves  neg- 
lect and  abuse.  If  you  stand  at  the  door  of  the  kingdom  of 
grace  to  light  others  in,  but  will  not  go  in  yourselves,  you 
shall  knock  at  the  gates  of  glory  in  vain.  Many  a preacher 
is  now  in  hell,  who  called  upon  his  hearers  a hundred  times 
to  use  their  utmost  care  and  diligence  to  avoid  that  place 
of  torment.”  Preachers  of  the  gospel  must  be  judged  by  the 
gospel ; must  be  sentenced  on  the  same  terms,  and  dealt  with 
as  severely  as  other  men.  “ Many  at  that  day  shall  say, 
Lord,  have  we  not  prophesied  in  thy  name  ?”  who  shall  be 
answered,  ‘‘  I never  knew  you : depart  from  me,  ye  workers 
of  iniquity  ;”  Matt.  22,  23.  And  what  case  can  be  more 
wretched  than  that  man’s,  who  made  it  his  very  trade  and 
calling  to  proclaim  salvation,  and  help  others  to  attain 
it,  and  yet  after  all  is  excluded  from  it  himself.  [Let  me  add, 

The  case  of  unconverted  ministers,  is  very  deplorable  at 
yresent.^ 

It  is  a dreadful  thing  to  be  an  unsanctified  professor,  but 
much  more  to  be  an  unsanctified  preacher. 

Do  not  you,  who  know  this  to  be  your  character,  tremble 
when  you  open  the  Bible,  lest  you  should  read  there  the  sen- 
tence of  your  own  condemnation  ? When  you  pen  your  ser- 
mons, you  are  drawing  up  indictments  against  yourselves. 

20 


230 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


When  you  are  arguing  against  sin,  you  are  aggravating  your 
own.  When  you  proclaim  to  your  hearers,  the  riches  of 
Christ  and  his  grace,  you  publish  your  own  iniquity  in  re^ 
jecting  them,  and  your  own  unhappiness  in  being  destitute 
of  them.  What  can  you  devise  to  say  to  your  hearers,  but, 
for  the  most  part,  it  will  be  against  your  own  souls?  If  you 
mention  hell,  you  mention  your  own  inheritance.  If  you 
describe  the  joys  of  heaven,  you  describe  your  own  misery 
in  having  no  right  to  them.  O wretched  life  1 that  a man 
should  study  and  preach  against  himself,  and  spend  his  days 
in  a course  of  self-condemning  ! A graceless,  inexperienced 
preacher  is  one  of  the  most  unhappy  creatures  upon  earth. 

Yet  he  is  ordinarily,  the  most  insensible  of  his  unhappi- 
ness. He  has  so  many  counters,  that  seem  like  the  gold  of 
saving  grace,  and  so  many  splendid  stones  that  resemble  the 
Christian’s  jewels,  that  he  is  seldom  troubled  with  the 
thoughts  of  his  poverty ; but  thinks  “ he  is  rich  and  wants 
nothing,,  while  he  is  wretched  and  miserable,  poor  and  blind 
and  naked,”  Rev.  3:  17.  He  is  acquainted  with  the  Holy 
Scripture ; he  is  exercised  in  holy  duties ; he  lives  not  in 
open,  disgraceful  sins;  he  serves  at  God’s  altar;  he  reproves 
other  men’s  faults,  and  preaches  up  holiness  of  heart  and 
life ; and  therefore  can  hardly  suspect  himself  to  be  unholy. 
How  awful  the  delusion  of  such  ! But  especially,  how  dread- 
ful and  aggravated  their  future  misery! — To  perish  with  the 
bread  of  life  in  their  hands,  while  they  offer  it  to  others  ! — 
That  those  ordinances  of  God  should  be  the  occasion  of  their 
delusion,  which  are  the  appointed  means  of  conviction  and 
salvation  1 — That  while  they  hold  the  looking-glass  of  the 
gospel  to  others,  and  show  them  the  true  face  of  their  souls, 
they  should  turn  the  back  part  of  it  towards  themselves, 
where  they  can  see  nothing  ? 

Verily  it  is  the  common  danger  and  calamity  of  the  church, 
to  have  unregenerate  and  inexperienced  pastors  1 Many 
men  become  preachers,  before  they  are  Christians ; are  sanc- 
tified by  dedication  to  the  altar  as  God’s  priests,  before  they 
are  sanctified  by  hearty  dedication  to  Christ  as  his  disciples. 
Thus  they  worship  an  unknown  God,  preach  an  unknown 
Saviour,  an  unknown  Spirit,  an  unknown  state  of  holiness, 
and  communion  with  God,  and  a future  glory  that  is  to  them 
unknown,  and  to  be  unknown  to  them  for  ever. 

And  can  it  be  expected  that  such  persons  should  prove 
any  great  blessings  to  the  church?  How  can  it  be  imagined 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


231 


that  he  is  likely  to  be  as  successful  as  others,  who  clealeth 
not  heartily  and  faithfully  in  his  work,  who  never  soundly  be- 
lieveth  what  he  saith,  nor  is  ever  truly  serious,  when  he 
seetneth  most  diligent ! And  can  you  think  that  any  unsanc- 
tified man  can  be  hearty  and  serious  in  the  ministerial  work  ? 
It  cannot  be.  A kind  of  seriousness  indeed  he  may  have  ; 
such  as  proceeds  from  a common  faith  or  opinion  that  the 
word  is  true,  and  is  actuated  by  a natural  fervor  or  by  selfish 
ends ; but  the  seriousness  and  fidelity  of  a sound  believer, 
who  ultimately  intends  God’s  honor  and  men’s  salvation,  he 
cannot  have.  O Sirs  1 all  your  preaching  and  persuading  of 
others  will  be  but  dreaming,  and  trifling  hypocrisy,  till  the 
work  be  thoroughly  done  upon  yourselves.  How  can  you 
constantly  apply  yourselves  to  a work,  from  which  your  car- 
nal hearts  are  averse?  flow  can  you,  with  serious  fervor, 
call  upon  poor  sinners  to  repent  and  come  to  God,  who  never 
did  either  yourselves?  How  can  you  follow  them  with  im- 
portunate solicitations  to  forsake  sin,  and  betake  themselves 
to  a holy  life,  w^ho  never  felt  the  evil  of  the  one  or  the  worth 
of  the  other?  And  let  me  tell  you,  these  things  are  never 
well  known  till  they  ‘are felt;  and  that  he  who  feeleth  them 
not  himself,  is  not  likely  to  speak  feelingly  of  them  to  others, 
or  to  help  others  to  feel  then\.  He  that  does  not  so  strongly 
believe  the  word  of  God  and  the  life  to  come,  as  to  take  off 
his  own  heart  from  the  vanities  of  this  world,  and  bring  him, 
with  resolution  and  diligence,  to  seek  his  own  salvation,  can- 
not be  expected  to  be  faithful  in  seeking  the  salvation  of  other 
men.  He  that  dares  to  damn  himself,  will  dare  to  let  others 
alone  in  the  way  to  damnation.  He  that,  with  Judas,  will 
sell  his  master  for  silver,  will  not  scruple  to  make  merchan- 
dize of  the  flock.  We  may  well  expect  that  he  will  have  no 
pity  on  others,  who  is  thus  wofully  cruel  to  himself;  and 
surely  he  is  not  to  be  trusted  with  other  men’s  souls,  w'ho  is 
unfaithful  to  his  own.  It  is  a very  unlikely  thing  that  he 
will  fight  against  Satan  with  all  his  might,  or  do  any  great 
harm  to  his  kingdom,  who  is  himself  a servant  of  Satan  and 
a subject  of  that  kingdom  ; or  that  he  wall  be  true  to  Christ, 
who  is  in  covenant  with  his  enemy.  What  prince  will 
choose  the  friends  and  voluntary  servants  of  his  enemy,  to 
lead  his  armies  in  w^ar  against  him  ? Yet  alas  1 many  preach- 
ers of  the  gospel  are  enemies  to  the  work  of  the  gospel  which 
they  preach.  O how  many  such  traitors  have  been  in  the 
church  of  Christ  in  all  ages,  who  have  done  more  against 


232 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


him  under  his  colors,  than  they  could  have  done  in  the  open 
field  ! Though  many  of  these  men  seem  excellent  preachers, 
and  cry  down  sin  as  loudly  as  others,  yet  it  is  all  but  an  af- 
fected fervency,  and  commonly  but  a mere  ineffectual  bawl- 
ing. A traitorous  commander,  who  shooteth  nothing  against 
the  enemy  but  powder,  may  cause  his  guns  to  make  as  great 
a report  as  theirs  that  are  loaded  with  bullets;  but  he  doth 
no  hurt  to  the  enemy  by  it.  So  one  of  these  men  may  speak 
as  loud  and  with  as  much  seeming,  fervency  as  others;  but 
he  will  seldom  do  any  great  execution  against  sin  and  Satan. 
No  man  can  fight  well  but  where  he  hateth,  or  is  very  angry  ; 
much  less  against  those  whom  he  loveth,  and  loveth  above 
all.  So  that  you  see,  an  unsanctified  man,  who  loveth  the 
enemy,  is  very  unfit  to  be  a leader  in  Christ’s  army  ; that  he 
is  very  unlikely  to  engage  others  to  renounce  the  world  and 
the  flesh,  who  cleaveth  to  them  himself  as  his  chief  good. 

If  such  a wretched  man  would  take  my  counsel,  he  should 
make  a stand,  and  call  his  heart  and  life  to  an  account.  He 
should  fall  a preaching  a while  to  himself,  before  he  preach 
to  others  any  more  ! He  should  consider,  whether  ‘‘  he  that 
names  the  name  of  Christ”  should  not  ‘‘  depart  from  all  ini- 
quity Whether,  if  he  regards  iniquity  in  his  heart,  God 
will  hear  his  prayers?”  And,  whether  a wicked  preacher 

shall  stand  in  the  judgment,  or  a sinner  in  the  assembly  of 
the  just?”  Psalm  1:  5.  When  such  thoughts  as  these  have 
entered  into  his  soul,  and  kindly  wrought  upon  his  con- 
science, I would  advise  him  next,  to  go  to  the  congregation, 
and  there  preach  over  Origen’s  sermon  on  Psalm  50:  16,  17. 
“ But  to  the  wicked,  God  saith.  What  hast  thou  to  do,  to 
declare  my  statutes,  or  that  thou  shouldst  take  my  covenant 
into  thy  mouth  ? Seeing  thou  hatest  instruction,  and  hast 
cast  my  words  behind  thee.”  When  he  has  read  this  text, 
I would  have  him  sit  down,  as  Origen  did,  and  expound  and 
apply  it  by  his  tears ; then  make  a free  confession  of  his  guilt 
before  the  assembly,  and  desire  their  prayers  to  God  for  par- 
doning and  renewing  grace  ; that  hereafter,  he  may  preach 
a Christ  whom  he  knows,  may  feel  what  he  speaks,  and  may 
commend  the  riches  of  the  gospel  by  experience. 

11.  “ Take  heed  to  yourselves,”  that  you  be  not  destitute 
of  the  necessary  qualifications  for  your  work. 

And  Oh ! what  qualifications  are  requisite  for  a man  that 
hath  such  a charge  as  ours ! He  must  not  be  a babe  in 
knowledge,  that  will  teach  men  all  those  things  which  are 


THE  REFORMED  FASTOR. 


233 


necessary  to  salvation.  How  many  difiiculties  in  divinity 
are  there  to  be  opened,  yea,  about  the  very  fundamentals  of 
religion!  How  many  obscure  texts  to  be  expounded  1 How 
many  duties  to  be  done,  wherein  ourselves  and  others  may 
miscarry,  if  in  the  matter,  the  end,  the  manner  and  circum- 
stances of  them,  they  be  not  well  informed  1 How  many 
sins,  and  subtile  temptations  must  we  direct  our  people  to 
avoid  1 How  many  weighty,  and  yet  intricate  cases  of  con- 
science have  we  frequently  to  resolve  1 How  many  strong 
holds”  have  we  to  beat  down!  What  subtile,  diligent  and 
obstinate  resistance  must  we  expect  from  those  we  have  to 
deal  with!  We  cannot  make  a breach  in  their  groundless 
hopes  and  carnal  peace,  but  they  have  twenty  shifts  and 
seeming  reasons  to  make  it  up  again ; and  as  many  enemies, 
under  the  appearance  of  friends,  that  are  ready  to  help  them. 
We  dispute  not  with  them  upon  equal  terms;  but  we  have 
children  to  reason  with,  who  cannot  understand  us.  We 
have  wilful,  unreasonable,  distracted  men  to  deal  with,  who 
when  they  are  silenced,  are  not  at  all  the  more  convinced, 
but  when  they  can  give  you  no  reason,  will  give  you  their 
resolution.  We  have  multitudes  of  raging  passions  and  con- 
tradicting enemies  to  dispute  against  at  once ; so  that  when- 
ever we  go  about  the  conversion  of  a sinner,  it  is  as  if  we 
w^ere  to  dispute  in  a noisy  crowd.  Dear  brethren  ! what 
men  should  we  be  in  skill,  resolution  and  unwearied  dili- 
gence, who  have  so  much  to  do,  and  so  much  to  hinder  us 
in  doing  it!  Did  Paul  cry  out,  2 Cor.  2:  16,  ‘‘Who  is  suf- 
ficient for  these  things?”  And  shall  wc  be  careless  or  lazy, 
as  if  we  were  sufficient?  “ What  manner  of  persons  ought 
we  to  be,”  2 Pet.  3:  11,  not  only  “ in  all  holy  conversation  and 
godliness,”  but  in  all  knowledge,  resolution,  and  diligence! 

To  preach  a sermon,  I think  is  not  the  hardest  part  of  our 
work ; and  yet  what  skill  is  necessary  to  make  plain  the 
truth,  to  convince  the  hearers ; to  let  irresistible  light  into 
their  consciences,  and  keep  it  there,  to  drive  the  truth  into 
their  minds,  and  answer  every  objection  that  opposes  it,  and 
at  the  same  time,  to  do  all  this  with  regard  to  the  language 
and  manner,  so  as  best  becomes  our  work,  as  is  most  suita- 
ble to  the  capacities  of  our  hearers,  and  so  as  to  honor  that 
great  God,  whose  message  we  deliver,  by  our  delivery  of  it! 

It  is  a lamentable  case,  that,  in  a message  from  the  God 
of  heaven,  of  everlasting  consequence  to  the  souls  of  men, 
W8  should  behave  ourselves  so,  as  that  the  whole  business 
20^ 


234 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


should  miscarry  in  our  hands ; that  God  should  be  dishonor- 
ed, his  work  disgraced,  and  sinners  rather  hardened  than 
converted,  through  our  weakness  or  neglect.  [Yet  how  fre- 
quently is  this  the  case !]  How  often  have  carnal  hearers 
gone  jeering  home,  at  the  palpable  and  dishonorable  failings 
of  the  preacher ! How  many  sleep  under  us,  because  our 
hearts  and  tongues  are  sleepy,  and  we  bring  not  with  us  skill 
and  zeal  enough  to  awaken  them  ! Brethren,  do  you  not 
shrink  and  tremble  under  a sense  of  the  greatness  of  your 
work?  Will  a common  measure  of  ability  and  prudence 
serve  for  such  a task  as  yours?  Necessity  may  indeed  cause 
the  church  to  tolerate  the  weak  ; but  woe  to  us  if  we  tolerate 
and  indulge  our  own  weakness. 

Do  not  reason  and  conscience  tell  you,  that  if  you  dare 
venture  on  so  high  a work  as  this,  you  should  spare  no  pains 
to  be  fit  for  the  performance  of  it  ? It  is  not  now  and  then 
an  idle  taste  of  studies,  that  will  serve  to  make  an  able 
divine.  I know  that  laziness  has  learned  to  argue,  from 
the  insufficiency  of  all  our  studies,  that  the  spirit  must  whol- 
ly and  alone  qualify  us  for,  and  assist  us  in  our  work.  But 
can  we  reasonably  think  that  God,  having  commanded  us  to 
use  the  means,  would  warrant  us  to  neglect  them  ? Will  he 
cause  us  to  thrive  in  a course  of  idleness?  Or  bring  us  to 
knowledge  by  dreams?  Or  take  us  up  to  heaven  and  show 
us  his  counsels,  while  we  are  unconcerned  about  the  matter  ? 
Strange ! that  men  should  dare  by  their  sinful  laziness,  thus 
to  quench  the  spirit !”  God  has  required  of  us,  that  we  “ be 
not  slothful  in  business,  but  fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the 
Lord,’’  Rom.  12:  11.  Therefore,  brethren,  lose  no  time: 
study,  pray,  discourse  and  practise,  that  by  these  means  your 
abilities  may  be  increased. 

Besides  the  composition  of  sermons,  how  many  other 
things  should  a minister  understand  ! What  a great  defect 
would  it  be  to  be  ignorant  of  them ; and  how  much  shall  we 
miss  such  knowledge  in  our  work  ! In  order  to  gain  a com- 
petent measure  of  knowledge,  a variety  of  books  must  be 
read,  [and  well  digested.]  Experience  will  teach  you,  that 
men  are  not  to  be  made  learned  or  wise,  without  hard  study 
and  unwearied  diligence. — Shall  we  then  be  indolent?  Will 
neither  the  natural  desire  of  knowing,  nor  the  spiritual  de- 
sire of  knowing  God  and  things  divine,  nor  the  consciousness 
of  our  ignorance  and  weakness,  nor  a sense  of  the  impor- 
tance of  our  ministerial  work,  keep  us  close  to  our  studies, 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


235 


and  make  us  diligent  in  seeking  after  truth?  [Let  these 
considerations  have  their  due  influence  upon  us.] 

We  should  the  rather  take  heed  to  our  qualifications,  be- 
cause such  works  as  ours  put  men  more  upon  the  use  and 
trial  of  their  graces,  than  those  of  other  persons.  Weak 
gifts  and  graces  may  carry  a man  through  an  even  and  laud- 
able course  of  life,  who  is  not  exercised  with  any  great  trials. 
Small  strength  may  serve  for  easier  works,  and  lighter  bur- 
dens : But  if  you  will  venture  on  the  great  undertakings  of 
the  ministry  ; if  you  will  engage  against  principalities  and 
powers,  and  spiritual  wickednesses,”  Eph.  6:  12,  in  order  to 
rescue  captive  sinners  from  the  dominion  of  Satan,  and  lead 
on  the  troops  of  Christ  in  the  face  of  all  their  enemies,  common 
abilities  will  not  be  sufficient.  The  tempter  will  make  his 
first  and  sharpest  onset  on  you.  He  bears  you  the  greatest 
malice,  who  are  engaged  to  do  him  the  greatest  mischief. 
He  has  found,  by  experience,  that  to  ‘ smite  the  shepherd,’  is 
the  most  effectual  means  to  ‘ scatter  the  flock,’  Zech.  13:  7. 
You  therefore  shall  have  his  most  subtile  insinuations,  inces- 
sant solicitations,  and  violent  assaults.  So  that  you  must  ex- 
pect to  come  off  with  greater  shame  and  deeper  wounds, 
than  if  you  had  lived  a common  life,  if  you  think  to  go 
through  such  things  as  these  with  a careless  soul.  We  have 
seen  many  persons  that  lived  a private  life,  in  good  reputa- 
tion for  parts  and  piety,  who,  when  they  have  taken  upon  them 
either  the  magistracy  or  military  employment,  where  the 
work  was  superior  to  their  abilities,  have  met  with  scandal 
and  disgrace.  So  also  have  we  seen  some  private  Christians 
of  good  esteem,  who,  having  thought  too  highly  of  their  abili- 
ties and  thrust  themselves  into  the  ministerial  office,  have 
proved  weak  and  empty  men,  and  have  become  some  of  the 
greatest  burdens  to  the  church.  They  might,  perhaps,  have 
done  God  more  service,  had  they  continued  in  the  higher 
rank  of  private  men,  than  they  did  among  the  lowest  of  the 
ministry.  If  then  you  will  venture  into  the  midst  of  dangers, 
and  bear  the  burden  of  the  day,  ‘ take  heed  to  yourselves.’ 

This  care  and  diligence  is  now  the  more  requisite  for  min- 
isters, because  the  necessity  of  the  church  forces  so  many 
from  our  places  of  education,  so  very  young,  that  they  are 
obliged  to  teach  and  learn  together.  It  were  very  desirable 
that  the  church  should  wait  longer  for  their  preparation,  if  it 
were  possible ; but  I would  by  no  means  discourage  such 
young  persons  as  are  drawn  out  by  mere  necessity,  if  they 


236 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


are  but  competently  qualified ; and  quickened,  with  earnest 
desires  of  men’s  salvation,  to  close  study  and  great  diligence 
in  their  work. — And  this  is  necessary  ; for  if  the  people  take 
them  to  be  ignorant,  they  will  despise  their  teaching,  and 
think  themselves  as  wise  as  they.  The  lowest  degree  toler- 
able in  a minister,  is  to  be  ‘‘supra  vulgus  fidelium.”  It  will 
produce  some  degree  of  reverence,  when  your  people  know 
that  you  are  wiser  than  themselves. 

If  you  are  conscious  that  you  are  none  of  the  most  able 
ministers,  and  despair  of  being  reverenced  for  your  parts,  you 
have  the  more  need  to  study  and  labor  for  their  increase. 
That  which  you  want  in  natural  ability,  you  must  make  up 
in  other  qualifications,  and  then  you  may  be  as  successful  as 
other  persons. 

III.  “ Take  heed  to  yourselves,”  that  your  ends  in  under- 
taking and  discharging  the  ministerial  office,  are  good  and 
honorable. 

The  ultimate  end  of  our  pastoral  oversight,  is  that  which 
is  the  ultimate  end  of  our  whole  lives,  viz.  to  please  and 
glorify  God.  With  this  is  connected  the  honor  of  Christ, 
the  welfare  of  the  church,  and  the  salvation  of  our  people ; 
their  sanctification  and  holy  obedience ; their  unity,  order, 
beauty,  strength,  preservation,  and  increase. 

The  whole  ministerial  work  must  be  managed  purely  for 
God,  and  the  good  of  souls,  without  any  private  ends  of  our 
own.  This  is  our  sincerity  in  it.  None  but  the  upright 
make  God  their  end,  or  do  all,  or  anything  heartily,  for  his 
honor.  As  for  other  persons,  they  choose  the  ministry  rather 
than  any  other  calling,  either  because  their  parents  devoted 
them  to  it,  or  because  it  is  a pleasant  thing  to  know,  and  this  is  a 
life  wherein  they  have  the  most  opportunity  to  furnish  their  in- 
tellects with  all  kinds  of  science,  or  because  it  is  not  so  fa- 
tiguing to  the  body,  (loving  to  favor  the  flesh,)  or  because  it 
is  accompanied  with  some  degree  of  reverence  from  men, 
and  they  esteem  it  an  honorable  thing  to  be  leaders  and 
teachers,  to  have  others  depend  on  them,  and  ‘ receive  the 
law  at  their  mouth or  because  it  affords  them  a comfortable 
maintenance.  For  such  ends  as  these  do  many  undertake 
the  ministry;  and  were  it  not  for  some  or  other  of  these, 
they  would  soon  give  it  over.  Now,  can  it  be  expected  that 
God  should  greatly  bless  the  services  of  such  men  ? Since 
it  is  not  for  him  that  they  preach,  but  for  themselves,  their 
own  ease  or  advantage,  no  wonder  if  he  leave  them  to  them- 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


237 


selves  for  the  success.  A wrong  end  spoils  all  our  work 
^with  regard  to  ourselves,  how  good  soever  it  may  in  itself  be. 
They  that  undertake  this  as  a common  work,  to  make  a trade 
of  it,  in  order  to  their  subsistence  in  the  world,  will  find  that 
they  have  chosen  a bad  trade,  though  it  be  good  employ- 
ment. Self-denial  is  of  absolute  necessity  in  every  Christian  ; 
but  of  double  necessity  in  a minister,  as  he  hath  a double 
sanctification  or  dedication  to  God ; and  without  self-denial 
he  cannot  faithfully  do  God  any  service.  Hard  studies, 
much  knowledge  and  excellent  preaching,  if  the  end  be  not 
right,  are  but  more  glorious,  hypocritical  sinning. 

IV.  ‘ Take  heed  to  yourselves,’  lest  you  fall  into  those  sins 
you  preach  against,  and  lest,  by  your  example,  you  contra- 
dict your  doctrine. 

Will  you  make  it  your  business  to  magnify  God,  and  when 
you  have  done,  dishonor  him  as  much  as  others  ? Will  you 
proclaim  Christ’s  governing  power,  and  yet  rebel  against  it  ? 
Will  you  preach  his  laws,  and  then  wilfully  break  them  ? If 
sin  be  evil,  why  do  you  commit  it  1 If  it  is  not,  why  do  you 
dissuade  men  from  it  ? If  God’s  threatenings  are  true,  why 
do  you  not  fear  them  ? If  they  are  false,  why  do  you  need- 
lessly trouble  men  with  them  ? ‘ Thou  that  teachest  an- 

other, teachest  thou  not  thyself?  Thou  that  makest  thy 
boast  of  the  law,  through  breaking  the  law,  dishonorest  thou 
God  ?”  Rom.  2:  21 — ^23.  It  is  a palpable  error  in  those 
ministers,  who  make  such  a disproportion  between  their 
preaching  and  their  living,  that  they  will  study  hard  to  preach 
accurately,  and  study  little  or  not  at  all  to  live  accurately. 
They  are  loath  to  misplace  a word  in  their  sermons,  but 
they  make  nothing  of  misplacing  their  affections,  words  or 
actions  in  the  course  of  their  lives.  They  are  so  nice  in  their 
compositions,  that  they  seem  to  look  upon  it  as  a virtue  in 
them  to  preach  seldom,  that  their  language  may  be  the  more 
polite ; and  all  the  rhetorical  writers  they  can  meet  with  are 
pressed  to  serve  them  for  the  adorning  their  style,  but  when 
it  comes  to  matter  of  practice,  how  little  do  they  regard  what 
they  said  ? What  difference  is  there  between  their  pulpit- 
speeches  and  their  familiar  discourse  1 They  that  are  most 
impatient  of  barbarisms  and  solecisms  in  a sermon,  can  too 
easily  tolerate  them  in  their  conversation.  Surely,  brethren, 
we  have  great  cause  to  take  heed  what  we  do,  as  well  as  what 
we  say.  A practicaWoctrine  must  be  practically  preached. 
We  must  study  as  hard  how  to  live  well,  as  how  to  preach 


238 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


well.  If  the  saving  of  souls  be  your  end,  you  will  certainly 
attend  to  it  out  of  the  pulpit,  as  well  as  in  it;  you  will  liv^ 
for  it,  and  contribute  all  your  endeavors  to  attain  it.  If  you 
intend  the  end  of  the  ministry  only  in  the  pulpit,  it  seems  you 
take  yourselves  for  ministers  no  longer  than  you  are  there ; 
and  if  so,  I think  you  are  unworthy  to  be  esteemed  such 
at  all. 

You  have  very  great  need  of  the  strictest  care  over  your 
conduct,  for  you  have  the  same  depraved  nature  and  sinful 
inclinations  as  others.  There  are  in  the  best  of  us,  the  rem- 
nants of  pride,  unbelief,  self-seeking,  hypocrisy  and  other 
sins.  How  small  a matter  may  cast  us  down,  by  enticing  us 
to  folly,  enkindling  our  passions,  perverting  our  judgments, 
abating  our  resolution  and  cooling  our  zeal ! Without  great 
care,  our  treacherous  hearts  may  some  time  or  another, 
deceive  us,  and  those  sins  . that  seem  to  lie  dead,  may  re- 
vive. 

Remember  too,  that  as  you  have  the  same  evil  dispositions 
as  other  persons,  you  are  exposed  to  temptations  peculiar  to 
yourselves;  particularly,  (as  has  been  already  observed)  from 
the  great  enemy  of  souls ; who  obtains  a very  great  conquest 
if  he  can  make  a minister  unfaithful,  and  tempt  him  into  sin. 
Do  not  gratify  your  grand  adversary,  nor  give  him  an  occa- 
sion to  insult  and  triumph. 

Again,  many  eyes  are  upon  you^  and  therefore  many  will 
observe  your  falls.  The  eclipses  of  the  sun  by  day  time,  are 
seldom  without  many  witnesses.  If  other  men  may  sin  with- 
out great  observation,  you  cannot.  While  you  are  as  lights 
set  upon  a hill,  you  cannot  be  hid,”  Matt.  5:  14.  The  light 
of  your  doctrine  will  expose  your  evil  doings.  Live  therefore 
as  those  who  remember  that  the  world  looks  on  you  with  the 
quick-sighted  eye  of  malice,  ready  to  find  the  smallest  fault, 
to  aggravate  and  divulge  it,  yea,  to  make  faults  where  there 
are  none. 

Further,  take  heed  to  your  conduct,  because  your  sins  are 
attended  with  more  heinous  aggravations  than  those  of  oth- 
er men.  It  was  a saying  of  king  Alphonsus,  ‘‘  that  a great 
man  cannot  commit  a small  sin.”  We  may  with  more  pro- 
priety say,  that  a learned  man,  and  a teacher  of  others,  can- 
not; or  at  least,  that  that  sin  is  great  when  committed  by 
him,  which  would  be  esteemed  smaller  in  another  person. 
Your  sins  are  committed  against  greater  knowledge  than  the 
sins  of  most  others  can  be.  They  discover  greater  hypocrisy, 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


239 


and  carry  in  them  greater  treachery.  You  are  laid  under 
more  solemn  obligations  to  abstain  from  them  than  other 
men,  and  you  enjoy  superior  advantages  for  so  doing. 

Again,  take  heed  of  falling  into  sin,  because  the  honor  of 
your  Lord  and  Master  is  concerned.  As  you  may  do  him 
more  service,  so  ^^ou  may  <lo  him  more  disservice  than  oth- 
ers. The  nearer  men  stand  to  God,  the  greater  dishonor 
does  he  receive  from  their  miscarriages.  A heavy  judgment 
was  threatened  and  executed  on  Eli  and  his  house,  because 
they  “ kicked  at  his  sacrifice  and  offering  and  we  are  told, 
‘‘  the  sin  of  the  young  men  was  great  before  the  Lord,”  be-‘ 
cause  on  account  of  their  profane  behavior,  “ men  abhorred 
the  offering  of  the  Lord,”  1 Sam.  2:  29  and  17.  The 
aggravation  of  their  sin  was,  that  it  ‘‘  caused  the  enemies  of 
the  Lord  to  blaspheme,”  2 Sam.  12:  11 — 14;  which  cir- 
cumstance provoked  God  to  deal  more  sharply  with  David 
with  respect  to  his  crime,  than  otherwise  he  would  have  done. 
Never  give  sinners  occasion  to  say,  ‘‘  there  goes  a covetous, 
or  a drunken  priest ;”  or  to  reflect  when  they  see  you,  that 
notwithstanding  all  your  talk,  you  are  as  bad  as  they.  Of- 
fences will  come ; but  woe  to  the  man  by  whom  they  come,” 
Matt.  18:  7.  You  ‘‘  bear  the  ark  of  the  Lord,”  you  are  in- 
trusted with  this  honor,  and  dare  you  let  it  fall  ? Take  heed 
in  the  name  of  God,  of  every  word  you  speak  and  of  every 
step  you  take.  God  will  indeed  wipe  off  all  the  dishonor 
that  may  be  cast  upon  him,  but  you  will  not  so  easily  remove 
the  shame  and  sorrow  from  yourselves. 

Once  more ; take  heed  to  your  conduct,  because  the  suc- 
cess of  all  your  labors  does  very  much  depend  upon  it.  If 
you  unsay  by  your  lives,  what  you  say  with  your  lips,  you 
will  prove  the  greatest  hinderers  of  your  own  work.  It  great- 
ly prevents  our  success,  that  other  men  are  all  the  week  con- 
tradicting to  the  people  in  private,  what  we  have  been  speaking 
to  them  from  the  word  of  God,  in  public  ; but  it  will  prevent  it 
much  more,  if  we  contradict  ourselves,  if  our  actions  give 
our  words  the  lie.  This  is  the  way  to  make  men  think  that 
the  word  of  God  is  but  an  idle  tale.  Surely  he  that  means 
as  he  speaks,  will  do  as  he  speaks.  One  improper  word, 
one  unbecoming  action,  may  blast  the  fruit  of  many  a ser- 
mon. 

Say,  brethren,  in  the  fear  of  God,  do  you  regard  the  suc- 
cess of  your  labors,  and  wish  to  see  it  upon  the  souls  of  your 
hearers,  or  do  you  not  1 If  you  do  not,  why  do  you  study 


240 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


and  preach,  and  call  yourselves  the  ministers  of  Christ?  If 
you  do,  surely  you  cannot  easily  be  induced  to  spoil  your  own 
work.  You  do  not  much  regard  the  success  of  it,  if  you  are  will- 
ing to  sell  it  at  so  cheap  a rate,  as  for  the  indulgence  of  any 
sin.  Long  enough  may  you  lift  up  your  voices  against  sin, 
before  men  will  believe  there  is  any  such  harm  in  it,  or  such 
danger  attending  it  as  you  talk  of,  if  they  see  you  conjmit  it 
yourselves.  While  men  have  eyes  as  well  as  ears,  they  will 
think  they  see  your  meaning,  as  well  as  hear  it;  and  they  are 
much  more  ready  to  believe  what  they  see,  than  what  they 
hear.  All  that  a preacher  does,  is  a kind  of  preaching. 
When  you  live  a covetous  or  careless  life,  when  you  drink  or 
game  or  lose  your  time,  and  the  like ; by  your  practice  you 
preach  these  sins  to  your  people.  They  will  give  you  leave 
to  speak  against  it  in  the  pulpit  as  much  as  you  will,  if  you 
will  but  let  them  alone  afterwards,  and  talk  and  live  as  they 
do;  for  they  take  the  pulpit  to  be  but  as  a stage,  a place 
where  preachers  must  show  themselves  and  play  their  parts, 
where  you  have  liberty  for  an  hour  to  say  what  you  please. 
They  will  not  much  regard  it,  if  you  do  not  show  by  your 
conduct  amongst  them,  that  you  meant  as  you  said. 

Consider  further,  (since  the  success  of  your  labors  depends 
on  the  grace  and  blessing  of  God)  whether  you  will  not,  by 
your  sins,  provoke  him  to  forsake  you  and  blast  your  endeav- 
ors ; at  least  with  regard  to  yourselves,  though  he  may  in  some 
measure  bless  them  to  his  people.  Once  more, 

V.  Take  heed  to  yourselves,’’  that  your  graces  be  main- 
tained in  life  and  action. 

For  this  end,  preach  to  yourselves  the  sermons  you  study, 
before  you  preach  them  to  others.  If  you  were  to  do  this 
for  your  own  sakes,  it  would  be  no  lost  labor.  But  I princi- 
pally recommend  it  on  the  public  account,  and  for  the  sake  of 
the  church.  When  your  minds  are  in  a holy  frame,  your 
people  are  likely  to  partake  of  it.  Your  prayers  and  praises 
and  doctrine  will  be  sweet  and  heavenly  to  them.  They  are 
likely  to  feel  it  when  you  have  been  much  with  God.  That 
which  is  on  your  hearts  most,  will  be  most  in  their  ears.  I 
confess,  I must  speak  it  by  lamentable  experience,  that  I 
publish  to  my  flock  the  distempers  of  my  soul.  When  I let 
my  heart  grow  cold,  my  preaching  is  cold ; and  when  it  is 
confused,  my  preaching  is  confused  also.  And  I have  often 
observed  it  in  the  best  of  my  hearers,  that  when  I have  grown 
cold  in  preaching,  they  have  grown  cold  accordingly.  The  next 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


241 


prayers  I have  heard  from  them,  have  been  too  much  like  my 
sermons.  You  cannot  decline  and  neglect  your  duty,  but  oth- 
ers will  be  losers  by  it  as  well  as  yourselves.  If  we  let  our 
love  decrease,  and  if  we  abate  our  holy  care  and  watchful- 
ness, it  will  soon  appear  in  our  doctrine.  If  the  matter  show 
it  not,  the  manner  will,  and  our  hearers  are  likely  to  fare  the 
worse  for  it.  Whereas,  if  we  could  abound  in  faith  and  love 
and  zeal,  how  would  they  overflow  to  the  refreshing  of  our 
congregations  ! and  how  would  this  appear  by  increasing  the 
same  graces  in  our  people  ! Watch  therefore,  brethren,  over 
your  own  hearts.  Keep  out  lusts,  and  worldly  inclinations, 
and  keep  up  the  life  of  faith  and  love.  Be  much  at  home, 
and  be  much  with  God.  If  it  be  not  your  daily  serious  busi- 
ness to  study  your  own  hearts,  to  subdue  corruptions,  and  to 
walk  with  God,’’  all  will  go  amiss  with  you,  and  you  will 
starve  your  audience.  Or  if  you  have  an  affected  fervency, 
you  cannot  expect  any  great  blessing  to  attend  it.  Above  all 
be  much  in  secret  prayer  and  meditation.  Thence  you 
must  fetch  the  heavenly  fire,  that  must  kindle  your  sacri- 
fices. 

But  besides  this  general  course  of  watchfulness  for  our- 
selves and  others,  methinks  a minister  should  take  some  spe- 
cial pains  with  his  own  heart,  just  before  he  goes  to  the  congre- 
tion.  If  it  be  cold  then^  how  is  he  likely  to  warm  the  hearts 
of  his  hearers  ? Go  then  to  God  especially  for  life.  Read 
some  rousing,  awakening  book,  or  meditate  on  the  vast  im- 
portance of  the  subject  on  which  you  are  to  speak  and  on 
the  great  necessity  of  your  people’s  souls,  that  thus  you  may 
go,  in  the  zeal  of  the  Lord,  into  his  house,”  Psalm.  69:  9. 


PART  SECOND. 

OF  THE  DUTY  OF  STATED  MINISTERS  WITH  RESPECT  TO  THEIR 
PEOPLE. 

Having  showed  you,  as  it  was  first  necessary,  what  we 
must  be,  and  what  we  must  do  for  our  own  souls,  I proceed 
to  the 

Second  branch  of  the  exhortation,  which  is  thus  express- 
ed: ‘‘Take  heed  unto  all  flock  over  which  the  Holy 
21 


242 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


Ghost  hath  made  you  overseers,  to  feed  the  church  of 
God,  which  he  hath  purchased  with  his  own  blood.” 

Here  it  is  necessarily  supposed  that  every  flock  should 
have  their  own  pastor,  and  every  pastor  his  own  flock.  It  is 
the  will  of  God,  that  Christians  should  know  their  teachers 
that  labor  among  them,  and  are  over  them  in  the  Lord,” 
1 Thess.  5:  12.  Paul  and  Barnabas  ordained  elders  in  ev- 
ery church,”  Acts  14:  23 ; see  Tit.  1:  5.  Though  a minis- 
ter be  an  officer  in  the  universal  church,  yet  he  is  in  an  es- 
pecial manner  the  overseer  of  that  particular  church  which  is 
committed  to  his  care.  When  we  are  ordained  ministers, 
without  a special  charge,  we  are  licensed  and  commanded  to 
do  our  best  for  all,  where  we  are  called  to  exercise  ; but  when 
we  have  undertaken  a particular  charge,  we  have  restrained 
the  exercise  of  our  gifts  and  guidance  especially  to  that,  so 
that  we  should  allow  others  no  more  of  our  time  and  help 
than  our  own  flock  can  spare.  From  this  relation  of  pastor 
and  flock,  arise  those  duties  which  we  mutually  owe  each 
other. 

It  is  further  implied,  that  our  flocks  should  be  no  larger, 
than  we  are  capable  of  overseeing,  or  taking  the  care  of. 
The  nature  of  the  pastoral  work  is  such  as  requires  it  to  be 
done  by  the  pastor  himself. 

By  the  flock  or  church  is  meant  that  particular  society  of 
Christians  of  which  a bishop  or  elder  has  the  charge,  associ- 
ated for  personal  communion  in  God’s  public  worship,  and 
for  other  mutual  assistance  in  the  way  to  salvation. 

What  is  meant  when  we  are  exhorted  TToiimiveiv  ttjv 
aiav,  seems  to  be,  not  only  to  feed  the  churchy  as  it  is  trans- 
lated; not  merely  to  rule  it,  as  some  understand  it,  but  to 
perform  every  branch  of  the  pastoral  oversight.  In  a word, 
it  is  j}astoreni  agere,  to  do  the  work  of  a pastor  to  the 
flock. 

In  treating  of  this  part  of  the  exhortation,  we  shall,  first, 
consider  and  recommend  the  several  branches  of  the  ministe- 
rial office;  ch.  i,  a minister’s  stated  public  work,  preaching, 
prayer,  and  administering  the  sacraments ; ch.  ii,  personal 
inspection  and  private  instruction  ; ch.  iii,  the  several  cases 
and  characters  to  be  regarded,  both  in  preaching  and  private 
discourse ; ch.  iv,  catechising ; ch.  v,  arguments  for  person- 
al instruction,  particularly  by  catechising;  ch.  vi,  church 
discipline.  Secondly,  ch.  vii,  the  motives  to  pastoral  fideli- 
ty, suggested  in  the  text ; thirdly,  eh.  viii,  the  objections 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


243 


against  this  course  of  ministerial  duty  ; fourthly,  ch.  ix,  mis- 
cellaneous directions  respecting  the  whole  ministerial  work  ; 
fifthly,  ch.  X,  the  conclusion,  being  a particular  application 
of  the  whole. 


CHAPTER  1. 

OF  A minister’s  STATED  PUBLIC  WORK  ; PREACHING,  PRAYER, 
AND  ADMINISTERING  THE  SACRAMENTS. 

One  of  the  most  important  and  most  excellent  parts  of  our 
work  is  I.  The  public  preaching  of  the  word.  [Here  we  shall 
suggest  a few  thoughts  on  the  design  of  preaching,  the 
mariner  of  it,  the  pronunciation,  and  the  composition  of  ser- 
mons], 

1..0f  the  design  of  preaching. 

The  grand  design  of  preaching  is,  to  show  men  their  tru- 
est happiness,  and  to  direct  them  how  to  attain  it.  It  is  the 
great  work  of  Christian  ministers,  to  acquaint  men  with  God, 
and  that  glory  which  all  his  chosen  people  shall  enjoy  in  his 
presence ; to  show  them  the  certainty  and  excellence  of  the 
promised  felicity  in  the  life  to  come,  compared  with  the  van- 
ities of  the  present  world,  that  so  we  may  turn  the  stream  of 
their  thoughts  and  affections,  bring  them  to  a due  contempt 
of  this  world,  and  put  them  upon  seeking  that  durable  treas- 
ure. This  is  the  work  about  which  we  are  to  treat  with  men, 
day  after  day  ; for  cquld  we  once  bring  them  to  propose  a 
right  end,  and  set  their  hearts  unfeignedly  on  God  and  heav- 
en, the  greatest  part  of  our  business  would  be  done.  Hav- 
ing shown  them  the  right  end,  our  next  w^ork  is  to  acquaint 
them  with  the  right  means  of  attaining  it.  We  must  first 
teach  them  the  evil  and  danger  of  sin  ; then. we  must  open 
to  them  the  great  mysteries  of  redemption,  the  person,  na- 
tures, incarnation,  life,  sufferings,  death,  resurrection,  ascen- 
sion, intercession,  and  dominion  of  the  blessed  Son  of  God. 
As  also,  the  conditions  imposed  on  us,  the  duties  he  has  com- 
manded us,  the  everlasting  torments  he  has  threatened  to  the 
finally  impenitent,  the  rich  treasury  of  his  blessings  and  grace, 
the  tenor  of  his  promises  and  all  the  privileges  of  the  saints. 
We  must  recommend  to  them  a life  of  holiness  and  commun- 


244 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


ion  with  God.  We  must  excite  them  to,  and  direct  them  in 
the  performance  of  all  the  spiritual  duties  which  the  gospel 
requires.  At  the  same  time,  we  must  discover  to  them  the 
deceitfulness  of  their  own  hearts  ; the  many  difficulties  and 
dangers  they  will  meet  with ; especially  we  must  show  them 
the  depth  of  Satan’s  temptations,  and  assist  them  against  all 
these.  We  must  reveal  and  recommend  to  them  the  great 
and  gracious  designs  of  God,  in  his  works  of  creation,  provi- 
dence, redemption,  justification,  adoption,  sanctification  and 
glorification.  In  a word,  we  must  teach  them  as  much  as 
we  can,  of  the  whole  works  and  word  of  God.  And  what 
two  volumes  are  here  for  a minister  to  preach  upon  ! how 
great,  how  excellent,  how  wonderful ! All  Christians  are  the 
disciples  or  scholars  of  Christ ; the  church  is  his  school ; we 
are  his  ushers  ; the  Bible  is  his  grammar;  this  it  is  we  must 
be  daily  teaching  them.  The  papists  would  teach  them  with- 
out a book,  lest  they  should  learn  heresies  from  the  word  of 
truth ; but  our  business  is  not  to  teach  them  without  book, 
but  to  help  them  to  understand  this  book  of  God. 

2.  Of  the  manner  of  preaching. 

Preaching  is  a work  which  requires  greater  skill,  and  es- 
pecially greater  life  and  zeal,  than  any  of  us  commonly  bring 
to  it.  It  is  no  trifling  matter  to  stand  up  in  the  face  of  a 
congregation,  and  deliver  a message  of  salvation  or  damna- 
tion, as  from  the  living  God,  in  the  name  of  the  Redeemer. 
It  is  no  easy  thing  to  speak  so  plainly,  that  the  most  ignorant 
may  understand  us;  so  seriously,  that  the  deadest  heart 
may  feel ; and  so  convincingly,  that  contradicting  cavillers 
may  be  silenced.  Certainly,  if  our  hearts  were  set  upon  the 
work  of  the  Lord  as  they  ought  to  be,  it  would  be  done  more 
vigorously  than  by  the  most  of  us  it  is.  Alas ! how  few  min- 
isters preach  with  all  their  might,  or  speak  about  everlasting 
joys  and  torments  in  such  a manner  as  may  make  men  be- 
lieve that  they  are  in  earnest!  It  would  make  a man’s  heart 
ache  to  see  a number  of  dead  and  drowsy  sinners  sit  under  a 
minister,  without  having  a word  that  is  likely  to  quicken  or 
awaken  them.  The  blow  often  falls  so  light,  that  hard-heart- 
ed persons  cannot  feel.  Few  ministers  will  so  much  as  ex- 
ert their  voice,  and  stir  themselves  up  to  an  earnest  delivery. 
Or  if  they  speak  loud  and  earnestly,  oftentimes  they  do  not 
answer  it  with  earnestness  of  matter,  and  then  the  voice  does 
but  little  good.  The  people  will  esteem  it  but  mere  bawling 
if  the  matter  does  not  correspond.  On  the  other  hand,  it 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


245 


would  grieve  one  to  hoar  what  excellent  subjects  some  min- 
isters treat  upon,  who  yet  let  them  die  in  their  hands  for  want 
of  a close  and  lively  application  ; what  fit  matter  they  have 
for  convincing  sinners,  and  yet  how  little  they  make  of  it. 
O Sirs  ! how  plain,  how  close,  how  serious  should  we  be  in 
delivering  a message  of  such  importance  as  ours,  when  the 
everlasting  life  or  death  of  men  are  concerned  in  it ! Me- 
thinks  we  are  nowhere  so  much  wanting,  as  in  seriousness ; 
yet  nothing  is  more  unsuitable  to  our  business,  than  to  be 
slight  and  dull.  What ! speak  coldly  for  God,  and  for  the 
salvation  of  men  ? Can  we  believe  that  our  people  must  be 
converted  or  condemned,  and  yet  can  we  speak  to  them  in  a 
drowsy  tone?  In  the  name  of  God,  brethren,  awaken  your 
hearts  before  you  come  into  the  pulpit ; that  when  you  are 
there,  you  may  be  fit  to  awaken  the  hearts  of  sinners.  Re- 
member, that  they  must  be  awakened,  or  damned ; but  sure- 
ly a sleepy  preacher  is  not  likely  to  awaken  them.  Though 
you  give  the  holy  things  of  God  the  highest  praises  in  words, 
if  you  do  it  coldly^  you  will  unsay  by  your  manner  all  that 
you  have  said.  It  is  a kind  of  contempt  of  great  things  es- 
pecially so  great  as  these,  to  speak  of  them  without  great  af- 
fection and  fervency.  “ Whatsoever  our  hand  findeth  to 
do,”  (certainly  then  in  such  a work  as  preaching  for  men’s 
salvation,)  we  should  do  it  with  all  our  might,”  Eccl.  9: 
10.  Though  I do  not  recommend  a constant  loudness  in 
your  delivery,  for  that  will  make  your  fervericy  contemptible, 
yet  see  to  it  that  you  have  a constant  seriousness  ; and  when 
the  matter  requires  it,  as  it  should  do  in  the  application  at 
least,  then  “ lift  up  your  voice  and  spare  not”  your  spirits. 
Speak  to  your  hearers  as  to  men  that  must  be  awakened  ei- 
ther here,  or  in  hell.  Look  upon  your  congregation  with  se- 
riousness and  compassion,  and  think  in  what  a state  of  joy 
or  torment  they  must  be  forever,  and  that  surely  will  make  you 
earnest,  and  melt  your  hearts  for  them.  Whatever  you  do, 
let  the  people  see  that  you  are  in  good  earnest.  You  cannot 
soften  men’s  hearts  by  jesting  with  them,  or  telling  them  a 
smooth  tale,  or  patching  up  a gaudy  oration.  They  will  not 
cast  away  their  dearest  pleasures,  at  the  drowsy  request  of 
one  who  seems  not  to  mean  as  he  speaks,  or  to  care  much 
whether  his  request  be  granted  or  not. 

Let  us  then  rouse  up  ourselves  to  the  work  of  the  Lord. 
Let  us  speak  to  our  people  as  for  their  lives,  and  save  them 
as  by  violence,  pulling  them  out  of  the  fire,”  Jude  v.  23.  Sa» 
21* 


246 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


tan  will  not  be  charmed  out  of  his  possessions ; w^e  must  lay 
siege  to  the  souls  of  sinners  which  are  his  chief  garrison  ; 
must  play  the  battery  of  God’s  ordnance  against  it,  and  play 
it  close,  till  a breach  is  made;  not  suffering  them  to  make  it 
up  again.  As  we  have  reasonable  creatures  to  deal  with,  we 
must  see  to  it  that  our  sermons  be  all-convincing;  and  that 
w^e  make  the  light  of  Scripture  and  reason  shine  so  bright  in 
the  faces  of  the  ungodly,  that  unless  they  wilfully  shut  their 
eyes,  it  may  even  force  them  to  see.  A sermon  full  of  mere 
words,  while  it  wants  the  light  of  evidence,  and  the  zeal  of 
life,  is  but  an  image,  or  a well-dressed  carcass.  In  preach- 
ing, there  is  intended  a communion  of  souls  between  us 
and  our  people,  or  a communication  of  somewhat  from 
ours  to  theirs.  We  must  endeavor  to  communicate  the  full- 
est light  of  evidence  from  our  understandings  to  theirs,  and 
to  warm  their  hearts  by  enkindling  in  them  holy  affections 
from  our  own.  The  great  things  which  we  are  to  commend 
to  our  hearers  have  reason  enough  on  their  side,  and  lie  plain 
before  them  in  the  word  of  God.  We  should,  therefore,  be 
so  furnished  with  a proper  store  of  evidence,  as  to  come  as 
with  a torrent  upon  their  understandings,  and  bear  down  all 
before  us.  With  our  dilemmas  and  expostulations,  we  should 
endeavor  to  bring  them  to  a non-plus,  that  they  may  be  forced 
to  yield  to  the  power  of  truth,  to  see  that  it  is  great  and 
will  prevail. 

3.  Of  the  pronunciation. 

A great  matter  with  most  of  our  hearers,  lies  in  the  pro- 
nunciation and  tone  of  the  voice.  The  best  matter  will  not 
move  them,  unless  it  be  movingly  delivered.  When  a man 
has  a reading  or  declaiming  tone,  and  speaks  like  a school- 
boy saying  a lesson  or  pronouncing  an  oration,  few  are  much 
affected  with  anything  that  he  says.  The  want  of  a familiar 
tone  and  expression,  is  as  great  a defect  in  the  delivery  of 
most  of  us,  as  anything  whatever;  in  this  respect,  therefore, 
we  should  be  careful  to  amend.  Let  us  guard  against  all 
affectation,  and  speak  as  familiarly  to  our  people  as  if  we 
were  speaking  to  any  of  them  personally. 

4.  Of  the  composition  of  sermons. 

In  the  study  of  our  sermons  we  are  apt  to  be  negligent; 
gathering  only  a few  naked  heads,  and  not  considering  of  the 
most  forcible  expressions  to  set  them  home  to  men’s  hearts. 
We  must  study  how  to  convince  and  get  within  men,  and 
how  to  bring  each  truth  to  the  quick  ; not  leaving  all  this  to 
our  extemporary  promptitude^  unless  it  be  in  cases  of  necessity. 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


247 


Next  to  preaching,  let  me  mention  another  very  important 
part  of  our  public  work  ; that  is, 

II.  To  guide  our  people,  and  be  their  mouth  to  God  in  the 
prayers  and  praises  of  the  church,  as  also  to  bless  them  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord. 

This  sacerdotal  part  of  our  office  is  not  the  least,  nor  ought 
it  to  be  thrust  into  a corner,  as  it  too  frequently  is.  A very 
considerable  part  of  God’s  public  service,  was  wont  in  all 
ages  of  the  church,  till  of  late,  to  consist  in  praises  and  eu- 
charistical  acts  of  communion.  The  Lord’s  day  was  kept 
as  a day  of  thanksgiving,  in  the  hymns  and  common  rejoic- 
ings of  the  faithful ; in  special  commemoration  of  the  work 
of  redemption,  and  the  happy  condition  of  the  gospel  church. 
Though  I am  as  apprehensive  of  the  necessity  of  preaching 
as  most  persons,  yet  I think  that  it  ought  not  to  prevent  our 
solemn  prayers  to,  and  praises  of  God,  from  employing  more 
of  the  Lord’s  day  than  they  generally  do.  Our  worship 
should  be  as  evangelical  as  our  doctrine.  [Now  as  it  is  our 
business  to  lead  the  devotions  of  our  people  on  such  solemn 
occasions,  we  ought  to  take  great  care,  that  we  do  it  with 
that  propriety  and  fervor  which  will  promote  their  real  edifi- 
cation.] 

Another  part  of  our  pastoral  work,  which  I may  take  no- 
tice of  in  this  chapter,  is, 

III.  The  administration  of  the  sacred  mysteries,  or  the 
seals  of  God’s  covenant,  baptism  and  the  Lord’s  supper. 

Many  ministers  totally  neglect  these  ordinances,  others 
administer  them  in  a very  careless  manner,  and  a third  sort 
^lay  a very  undue  stress  on  trifling  circumstances  relating 
to  them,  and  make  them  a matter  of  much  contention, 
even  in  that  ordinance,  in  which  union  and  communion  are 
so  much  professed.  [I  shall  only  observe  that  we  ought  care- 
fully to  avoid  all  these  faults.] 


CHAPTER  II. 

OF  PERSONAL  INSPECTION  AND  PRIVATE  INSTRUCTION. 

We  are  commanded  in  the  text  to  ‘‘take  heed  to  all  the 
flock that  is,  doubtless,  to  every  individual  member  of  it. 
To  which  end  it  is  necessarily  supposed,  that  we  should  know 


248 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


every  person  that  belongs  to  our  charge ; for  how  can  we 
take  heed  to  them  if  we  do  not  know  them  ? We  must  labor 
to  be  acquainted,  as  fully  as  we  can,  not  only  with  the  per- 
sons, but  with  the  state  of  all  our  people,  their  inclinations 
and  conversations ; what  are  the  sins  they  are  most  in  danger 
of,  what  duties  they  neglect,  both  with  respect  to  the  matter 
and  the  manner,  and  to  what  temptations  they  are  peculiarly 
liable.  If  we  know  not  the  temperament  or  disease,  we  are 
likely  to  prove  unsuccessful  physicians. 

Being  thus  acquainted  with  all  the  flock,  we  must  take  dil- 
igent heed  to  them,  or  do  the  work  of  a pastor  towards  every 
individual.  And  one  would  imagine,  that  all  reasonable  men 
would  be  so  well  satisfied  in  regard  to  this,  that  nothing  need 
be  said  to  recommend  it.  Does  not  a careful  shepherd  look 
after  every  individual  sheep,  and  a good  physician  attend  ev- 
ery particular  patient  ? Why  then  should  not  the  shepherds 
and  the  physicians  of  the  church  take  heed  to  every  individu- 
al member  of  their  charge  ? Christ  himself,  the  great  and 
‘ good  shepherd,’  who  has  the  whole  flock  to  look  after,  takes 
care  of  every  individualj  like  him  whom  he  describes  in  his 
parable,  who  ‘ left  the  ninety-nine  sheep  in  the  wilderness, 
to  seek  after  one  that  was  lost.’  Paul  ‘ taught  the  people 
publicly,  and  from  house  to  house.’  He  ^ warned  every  man, 
and  taught  every  man,  that  he  might  present  every  man  per- 
fect in  Christ  Jesus,’  Col.  1:  28.  ‘ Every  man  is  to  seek  the 

law  at  the  priest’s  lips,  Mai.  2:  7.  We  are  to  ‘ watch  for 
souls  as  those  that  must  give  an  account,’  Heb.  13:  17,  how 
we  have  done  it. 

To  these  and  a variety  of  other  Scriptures  which  might  be‘ 
quoted  to  our  present  purpose,  I might  add  many  passages 
from  the  ancient  counsels,  from  whence  it  appears  that  such 
a personal  inspection  was  the  practice  of  the  most  ancient 
limes.  But  I shall  only  mention  one  from  Ignatius;  ‘‘Let 
assemblies  be  often  gathered;  seek  after  (or  inquire  of)  all 
by  name;  despise  not  servant-men  or  maids.”^ 

Let  me  now  mention  a few  particulars  to  which  this  part 
of  our  work  should  be  applied. 

1.  We  should  use  all  the  means  we  can  to  instruct  the  ig- 
norant in  the  matters  of  their  salvation. 

We  should  use  our  most  plain  familiar  words  in  discours- 


^ TTVKVorepov  avvayoyai  yivead^oxyav  bvofiarog  iravrag  ^r}TU.  I^ov~ 
T^ovg  Koi  (SovXag  fi?)  VTzeprjc'^avei. — Jgnat.  ad  Polyc. 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


249 


ing  with  them,  and  should  give  or  lend  them  such  books  as 
are  fit  for  them.  We  should  persuade  them  to  learn  cate- 
chisms ; and  direct  such  as  cannot  read,  to  get  help  of  their 
neighbors,  whom  we  should  exhort  to  give  them  their  as- 
sistance ; especially  such  as  have  the  best  opportunities  for  it. 

2.  We  should  be  ready  to  give  advice  to  such  as  come  to 
us  with  cases  of  conscience  ; especially  that  great  case  which 
the  Jews  put  to  Peter,  and  the  jailer  to  Paul  and  Silas,  ‘ What 
must  we  do  to  be  saved  V 

A minister  is  not  only  to  be  employed  in  public  preaching 
to  his  people,  but  should  be  a known  counsellor  for  their 
souls,  as  the  lawyer  is  for  their  estates,  and  the  physician  for 
their  bodies.  Not  that  a minister,  any  more  than  a physi- 
cian or  lawyer,  should  be  troubled  with  every  trifling  matter 
about  which  others  can  advise  them  as  well.  But  every  man 
that  is  in  doubts  and  difficulties  about  matters  of  importance, 
should  bring  his  case  to  his  minister  for  resolution.  Thus 
Nicodemus  came  to  Christ,  as  it  was  usual  for  the  people  to 
go  to  the  priest,  ‘ whose  lips  were  to  preserve  knowledge,  and 
at  whose  mouth,  they  were  to  ask  the  law,  because  he  was 
the  messenger  of  the  Lord  of  hosts,’  Mai.  2:  7.  Since  the 
people  are  grown  too  much  unacquainted  with  the  office  of 
the  ministry,  and  their  own  duty  herein,  it  belongs  to  us  to 
acquaint  them  with  it,  and  to  press  them  publicly,  to  come 
to  us  for  advice  in  cases  of  great  concernment  to  their  souls. 
What  abundance  of  good  might  we  do,  could  we  but  bring 
them  to  this ! But  how  few  are  there  who  heartily  press 
their  people  to  it ! A sad  case,  that  men’s  souls  should  be 
injured  and  hazarded  by  the  total  neglect  of  so  great  a duty, 
and  that  ministers  should  scarce  ever  tell  them  of  it,  and 
awaken  them  to  it ! Were  they  but  duly  sensible  of  the 
need  and  importance  of  it,  you  would  have  them  more  fre- 
quently knocking  at  your  doors,  to  open  their  cases,  to  make 
their  complaints,  and  to  ask  your  advice.  I beseech  you, 
then,  put  them  more  upon  this,  and  perform  your  duty  care- 
fully when  they  seek  your  help. 

To  this  end  it  is  very  necessary,  that  we  should  be  acquaint- 
ed with  practical  cases,  and  especially  with  the  nature  of  true 
grace,  so  that  we  may  assist  them  in  trying  their  states,  and 
resolve  the  main  question,  which  concerns  their  everlasting 
life  or  death.  One  word  of  seasonable,  prudent  advice,  giv- 
en by  a minister  to  persons  in  necessity,  has  sometimes  done 
that  good  which  many  sermons  have  failed  of  doing. 


250 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


3.  We  should  have  an  especial  eye  upon  families,  to  see  that 
they  be  well-ordered,  and  that  the  duties  of  each  relation  be 
well  performed. 

The  life  of  religion,  and  the  welfare  and  glory  of  church 
and  state,  depend  much  on  family  government  and  duty.  If 
we  suffer  the  neglect  of  this,  we  undo  all.  What  are  we 
likely  to  do  towards  the  reforming  of  a congregation,  if  all 
the  work  be  cast  upon  us  alone,  and  masters  of  families  neg- 
lect that  necessary  duty  of  theirs,  by  which  they  are  obliged 
to  help  us  ? If  any  good  be  begun  by  the  ministry  in  any 
soul,  a careless,  prayerless,  worldly  family  is  likely  to  stifle, 
or  very  much  hinder  it.  Whereas,  if  you  could  but  get  the 
rulers  of  families  to  do  their  part,  to  take  up  the  work  where 
you  left  it ; what  abundance  of  good  might  be  done  by  it ! 
Do  all  that  you  can,  therefore,  to  promote  this  business,  if 
ever  you  desire  the  true  reformation  and  welfare  of  your  pa- 
rishes. 

To  this  end,  get  information  how  every  family  is  conduct- 
ed, and  how  God  is  worshipped  in  it,  that  you  may  know  how 
to  proceed.  Go  now  and  then  among  them,  when  they  are 
most  at  leisure,  and  ask  the  master  of  the  family  whether  he 
prays  with  them  and  reads  the  Scripture.  Labor  to  con- 
vince such  as  neglect  this,  of  their  sin.  If  you  have  an  op- 
portunity, pray  with  them  before  you  go,  to  give  them  an  ex- 
ample what  you  would  have  them  do,  and  how  they  should 
do  it.  Then  get  them  to  promise  that  they  will  be  more 
conscientious  therein  for  the  future.  If  you  find  any  unable 
to  pray  in  tolerable  expressions,  through  ignorance  or  disuse, 
persuade  them  to  study  their  wants,  and  get  their  hearts  af- 
fected with  them.  Advise  them  frequently  to  visit  those 
neighbors  who  use  to  pray,  that  they  may  learn;  and  in  the 
meantime,  recommend  it  to  them  to  use  a form  of  prayer,  ra- 
ther than  omit  the  duty.  It  is  necessary  to  most  illiterate 
people,  who  have  not  been  brought  up  where  prayer  has  been 
used,  to  begin  with  a form  ; because  otherwise  they  will  be 
able  to  do  nothing.  From  a sense  of  their  inability,  they 
will  wholly  neglect  the  duty,  jthough  they  desire  to  perform  it. 
Many  persons  can  utter  some  honest  requests  in  secret,  who 
will  not  be  able  to  speak  tolerable  sense,  before  others ; and 
I will  not  be  one  of  them  that  had  rather  the  duty  were  whol- 
ly neglected,  or  profaned  and  made  contemptible,  than  en- 
courage them  to  use  a form,  either  recited  by  memory,  or 
read.  Tell  them,  however,  that  it  is  their  sin  and  shame  to 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


251 


be  so  unacquainted  with  their  own  necessities,  as  not  to  know 
how  to  speak  to  God  in  prayer,  when  every  beggar  can  find 
words  to  ask  an  alms ; and  that  this  form  is  only  to  be  used 
till  they  can  do  without  it ; which  they  ought  to  endeavor  af- 
ter, that  their  expressions  may  be  varied  according  to  their 
necessities  and  observations. 

See  that  besides  the  Bible,  they  have  some  profitable  mov- 
ing books  in  every  family.  If  they  have  none,  persuade 
them  to  buy  some  of  a low  price.  If  they  are  not  able,  either 
give  them,  or  procure  for  them  such  as  are  likely  to  be  of  the 
greatest  use  to  them.  Engage  them  to  read  in  the  evening, 
when  they  have  leisure,  but  especially  on  the  Lord’s  day ; 
and  by  all  means  persuade  them  to  teach  their  children  to 
read  English.  Particularly,  direct  them  how  to  spend  the 
Lord’s  day ; how  to  despatch  their  worldly  business,  so  as  to 
prevent  encumbrances  and  distractions  ; and  when  they  have 
attended  public  worship,  how  to  spend  their  time  in  their 
families.  The  life  of  religion,  among  poor  people  especially, 
depends  much  upon  this,  because  they  have  very  little  time 
besides  this  to  spare.  If  they  lose  this,  they  lose  all,  and 
will  remain  ignorant  and  brutish.  Persuade  the  master  of 
the  family,  every  Lord’s  day  evening,  to  cause  all  his  family 
to  repeat  some  catechism  to  him,  and  give  him  an  account 
of  what  they  have  learned  that  day  in  public.  If  you  find 
any  who  cannot  spend  their  time  profitably  at  home,  advise 
them  to  take  their  families  to  some  godly  neighbor  that  can. 

If  any  in  the  family  are  known  to  be  unruly,  give  the  ruler 
a special  charge  concerning  them,  and  make  him  understand 
what  a sin  it  is  to  connive  at,  and  tolerate  them.  If  you  can 
thus  get  masters  of  families  to  perform  their  duty,  they  will 
save  you  much  pains  with  the  rest,  and  greatly  promote  the 
success  of  your  labors.  You  cannot  expect  a general  refor- 
mation, till  you  procure  family  reformation.  Some  little  ob- 
scure religion  there  may  be  in  here  and  there  one,  but  while 
it  sticks  with  single  persons,  and  is  not  promoted  by  these 
societies,  it  does  not  prosper  nor  promise  much  for  future  in- 
crease. 

4.  Another  part  of  our  ministerial  oversight  lies  in  visiting 
the  sick,  and  helping  them  to  prepare  for  a fruitful  life,  or  a 
happy  death. 

Though  this  be  the  business  of  all  our  lives  and  theirs,  yet 
a time  of  sickness  requires  extraordinary  care  both  in  them 
and  us.  When  time  is  almost  gone,  and  they  must  be  now 


252 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


or  never  reconciled  to  God  and  possessed  of  his  grace,  oh ! 
how  does  it  concern  them  to  redeem  their  few  remaining 
hours,  and  ‘ lay  hold  on  eternal  life !’  And  when  we  see 
that  we  shall  have  but  a few  more  days  or  hours  with  them, 
in  which  to  speak  to  them  in  reference  to  their  eternal  state, 
what  man  that  is  not  an  infidel,  or  to  the  last  degree  stupid, 
would  not  be  with  them,  and  do  all  that  he  can  in  that  short 
space  for  their  salvation  ? Will  it  not  awaken  us  to  com- 
passion, to  look  upon  a languishing  man,  and  think  that 
within  a few  days  his  soul  will  be  in  heaven  or  in  hell  ? So 
great  is  the  change  made  by  death,  that  it  should  awaken  us 
to  the  greatest  sensibility  to  see  a man  so  near  it ; and  it 
should  excite  in  us  the  deepest  pangs  of  compassion,  to  do 
the  office  of  inferior  angels  for  the  soul,  before  it  departs 
from  the  flesh,  that  it  may  be  ready  for  the  convoy  of  supe- 
rior angels,  to  transmit  it  to  the  prepared  glory.  When  a 
man  is  almost  at  his  journey’s  end,  and  the  next  step  puts 
him  into  heaven  or  hell,  it  is  time  for  us  to  help  him  if  we 
can,  while  there  is  hope. 

But  further,  as  the  present  necessity  of  sick  persons  should 
induce  us  to  take  that  opportunity  for  their  good,  so  should 
the  advantage  which  sickness  and  the  foresight  of  death  af- 
fordeth  for  it.  There  are  few  of  the  stoutest  hearts,  but  will 
hear  us  on  their  death-beds,  though  they  scorned  us  before. 
They  will  then  be  as  tame  as  lambs,  who  were  before  as  un- 
tractable  as  madmen.  I find  not  one  in  ten  of  the  most  ob- 
stinate, scornful  wretches  in  the  parish,  but  when  they  come 
to  die,  will  humble  themselves,  confess  their  faults,  seem 
penitent,  and  promise,  if  they  should  recover,  to  reform  their 
lives.  With  what  resolution  will  the  worst  of  them  seem  to 
cast  away  their  sins,  exclaim  against  their  follies,  and  the 
vanities  of  the  world,  when  they  see  that  death  is  in  earnest 
with  them  ! I confess  it  is  very  common  for  persons  at  such 
a season  to  be  frightened  into  ineffectual  purposes,  but  not 
so  common  to  be  converted  to  fixed  resolutions.  Yet  there 
are  some  exceptions.  That  there  are  so  few,  should  make 
both  them  and  us  the  more  diligent  in  the  time  of  health  ; 
and  that  there  are  any  should  bestir  us  at  last,  in  the  use  of 
the  last  remedies. 

It  will  not  be  useless  to  ourselves  to  read  such  lectures  of 
mortality.  Surely  it  will  much  try  the  faith  and  seriousness 
of  ministers  or  others,  to  be  about  dying  men  ; they  will  have 
much  opportunity  to  discern,  whether  they  themselves  are  in 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


253 


good  earnest  about  the  affairs  of  the  world  to  coine.  ‘‘  It  is 
better  to  go  to  the  house  of  mourning,  than  to  the  house  of 
feasting for  it  tends  to  ‘ make  the  heart  better’  when  we 
see  ‘ the  end  of  all  the  living/  Eccl.  7:  2,  and  what  it  is  that 
the  world  will  do  for  those  who  sell  their  salvation  for  it.  It 
will  excite  us  the  better  to  consider  the  use  of  faith  and  holi- 
ness, which  cannot  prevent  us  from  dying,  any  more  that 
others,  but  which  may  enable  us  to  die  better  than  they. 

To  render  your  visits  to  the  sick  the  more  useful,  take  the 
following  directions. 

1.  Stay  not  till  their  strength  and  understanding  be  gone,, 
and  the  time  so  short  that  you  scarcely  know  what  to  do,  but 
go  to  them  as  soon  as  you  hear  they  are  sick,  whether  they 
send  for  you  or  not. 

2.  When  the  time  is  so  short,  that  there  is  no  opportunity 
to  attempt  the  change  of  their  hearts  in  that  distinct  and 
gradual  way  which  is  usual  with  others,  we  must  be  sure  to* 
dwell  upon  those  truths  which  are  of  the  greatest  importance, 
and  which  are  the  most  likely  to  effect  the  great  work  of 
their  conversion.  Show  them  the  certainty  and  glory  of  the 
life  to  come,  the  way  in  which  it  was  purchased,  the  great 
sin  and  folly  of  neglecting  it  in  time  of  health  ; yet  the  pos- 
sibility  that  remains  of  obtaining  it,  if  they  do  but  close  with 
it  heartily,  as  their  happiness,  and  with  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
as  the  way  thereto ; abhorring  themselves  for  their  former 
evil,  and  unfeignedly  resigning  up  themselves  to  be  justified, 
sanctified,  ruled  and  saved  by  him.  Show  them  the  suffi» 
ciency  and  necessity  of  the  redemption  by  Jesus  Christ,  and; 
the  fulness  of  the  Spirit,  which  they  may,  and  must  be  par- 
takers of;  the  nature  and  necessity  of  faith,  repentance,  and 
resolutions  for  new  obedience,  according  as  there  shall  be 
opportunity.  Labor,  upon  conviction  and  deliberation,  to 
engage  them  by  solemn  promise  to  Christ,  that  if  their  lives 
are  spared,  they  will  yield  him  such  obedience.^ 

3.  If  they  recover,  go  to  them  purposely  to  remind  them 
of  their  promises,  that  they  may  reduce  them  to  practice 
If,  at  any  time  afterward,  you  see  them  remiss,  go  to  them 
again,  to  put  them  in  mind  of  what  they  formerly  said ; this 


^ In  Mr.  Baxter’s  practical  works  there  is  ‘‘  A form  of  exhortation 
to  the  godly  and  the  ungodly  in  their  sickness,”  which  the  reader 
may  find  it  worth  his  while  to  consult,  for  further  direction  on  this 
head. 


22 


254 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR, 


is  often  of  great  use  to  such  as  recover;  it  has  been  the 
means  of  converting  many  a soul.  It  is  necessary,  therefore, 
that  you  visit  them  whose  sickness  is  not  mortal,  as  well  as 
them  that  are  dying ; you  will  hereby  have  some  advantage 
to  bring  them  to  repentance  and  newness  of  life,  as  you  will 
afterwards  have  this  to  plead  against  their  sins.  When  the 
emperor  Sigismund  asked  the  bishop  of  Coin,  ‘‘What  was 
the  way  to  be  saved?”  he  answered  him,  “that  he  must  be 
what  he  promised  to  be,  when  he  was  last  troubled  with  the 
stone  or  the  gout.”  In  such  a manner,  may  we  remind  our 
people,  after  a fit  of  sickness,  of  the  resolutions  they  made 
in  it. 

5.  It  is  the  duty  of  ministers  to  reprove  and  admonish  such 
as  have  been  guilty  of  notorious  and  scandalous  sins. 

Before  we  bring  such  matters  to  the  congregation,  [the 
propriety  and  manner  of  which  wilt  be  afterwards  consider- 
ed,] it  is  ordinarily  fit  for  the  minister  to  try  what  he  him- 
self can  do  more  privately,  to  bow  the  sinner  to  repentance. 
A great  deal  of  skill  is  here  required,  and  a difference  must 
be  made  according  to  the  various  tempers  of  the  offenders. 
But  with  the  most,  it  will  be  necessary  to  fall  on  with  the 
greatest  plainness  and  power  ; to  shake  their  careless  hearts, 
and  show  them  the  evil  of  sin,  its  sad  effects,  the  unkindness, 
unreasonableness,  unprofitableness,  and  other  aggravations 
that  attend  it ; what  it  is  they  have  done  against  God  and 
themselves. 

6.  We  ought  to  give  due  encouragement  to  those  humble, 
upright,  obedient  Christians,  who  profit  by  our  teaching,  and 
are  ornaments  to  their  profession. 

We  should,  in  the  eyes  of  all  the  flock,  put  some  differ- 
ence between  them  and  others,  by  our  more  especial  famil- 
iarity, and  other  testimonies  of  our  approbation  of,  and  re- 
joicing over  them,  that  so  we  may  both  encourage  them,  and 
excite  others  to  imitate  them.  God’s  graces  are  amiable  and 
honorable  in  all,  even  in  the  poorest  of  the  flock,  as  well  as 
in  their  pastors.  The  smallest  degrees  must  be  cherished 
and  encouraged ; but  the  highest,  more  openly  honored  and 
proposed  to  imitation.  They  who  slight  the  most  gracious 
because  they  are  of  the  laity,  while  they  claim  to  themselves 
the  honor  of  the  clergy,  as  they  show  themselves  proud  and 
carnal,  take  the  ready  way  to  debase  themselves,  and  to 
bring  their  office  into  contempt.  If  there  be  no  honor  due 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


255 


to  the  real  sanctity  of  a Christian,  much  less  to  the  relative 
sanctity  of  a pastor,  nor  can  he  reasonably  expect  it  should 
be  given  him. 


CHAPTER  III. 

OF  SEVERAL  PARTICULAR  CASES  AND  CHARACTERS,  TO  BE 
REGARDED  BOTH  IN  PREACHING  AND  PRIVATE  DISCOURSE. 

[Having  treated  of  preaching  in  general,  and  recommend- 
ed  private  instruction,  with  regard  to  some  objects  peculiar 
to  it,  we  shall  now  take  notice  of  such  cases  as  are  to  be  at- 
tended to  in  both.] 

1.  One  great  part  of  our  ministerial  work  (i.  e.  both  in 
public  and  in  private,)  is  to  bring  unsound  professors  to  sin- 
cerity. 

Though  we  be  not  absolutely  certain  that  this  or  that  man 
in  particular  is  unsound  and  unsanctihed^  yet,  as  long  as  we 
have  a certainty  that  many  such  attend  upon  our  ministra- 
tions ; and  since  we  have  a great  probability  that  this  is  the 
character  of  some  that  we  can  name,  we  have  ground 
enough  to  go  upon,  in  treating  with  them  for  their  con- 
version. 

Alas!  the  misery  of  the  unconverted  is  so  great,  that  it 
calls  loudest  for  our  compassion.  They  are  in  the  gall  of 
bitterness,  and  the  bond  of  iniquity,’’  Acts.  8:  23.  They 
have  “ no  part  or  fellowship”  in  the  pardon  of  sin,  or  the 
hope  of  glory.  We  have  therefore  a work  of  great  necessity 
to  do  for  them  ; even  to  open  their  eyes,  to  turn  them  from 
darkness  unto  light,  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God  ; that 
they  may  receive  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  an  inheritance 
among  the  sanctified  by  faith  in  Christ,”  Acts  26:  18^  to 
soften  and  open  their  hearts,”  to  the  entertainment  of  the 
truth,  ‘ if  peradventure  God  will  give  them  repentance,  to  the 
acknowledging  of  it,  that  they  may  escape  out  of  the  snare 
of  Satan,  who  are  led  captive  by  him  at  his  will,’  2 Tim.  2: 
25,  26.  It  is  so  sad  a case  to  see  men  in  a state  of  damna- 
tion, that  methinks  we  should  not  be  able  to  let  them  alone, 
either  in  public  or  in  private,  whatever  other  work  we  have 
to  do.  I confess  I am  forced  frequently  to  neglect  that 
which  would  tend  to  the  further  increase  of  the  godly,  and 


256 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


what  may  be  called  ‘‘  stronger  meat,”  Heb.  5:  12,  because  of 
the  lamentable  necessity  of  the  unconverted.  Who  can  talk 
of  controversies,  or  nice  unnecessary  points,  or  even  truths 
of  a lower  degree  of  necessity,  however  excellent,  to  gratify 
certain  hearers  of  higher  fancies,  (who  look  for  rarities,  and 
expect  to  have  their  ears  pleased,)  while  he  sees  a number  of 
ignorant,  carnal,  miserable  sinners  before  him,  who  must  be 
changed  or  damned  ? Methinks  I even  see  them  entering 
upon  their  final  woe  ! Methinks  I hear  them  crying  out  for 
the  speediest  help ! If  they  have  not  hearts  to  seek  or  ask 
for  help  themselves,  their  misery  speaks  the  louder.  As 
Paul’s  ‘‘  spirit  was  stirred  within  him,”  when  he  saw  the 
Athenians  so  addicted  to  idolatry,  Acts  17:  16,  methinks  it 
should  cast  us  into  one  of  his  paroxysms,  to  see  such  numbers 
of  men  in  the  greatest  danger  of  being  everlastingly  undone. 
If  by  faith  we  did  indeed  look  upon  them  as  within  a step  of 
hell,  it  would  more  effectually  untie  our  tongues,  than  Croesus’s 
danger  did  his  son’s.  He  that  will  let  a sinner  go  down  to 
hell  for  want  of  speaking  to  him,  has  infinitely  less  esteem 
for  souls  than  the  Redeemer  of  them  had ; and  less  for  his 
neighbor,  than  rational  charity  will  allow  him  to  have  for  his 
greatest  enemy.  Oh ! therefore  brethren,  whomsoever  you 
neglect,  neglect  not  the  mont  miserable.  Whatever  you  pass 
over,  forget  not  poor  souls,  who  are  under  the  condemnation 
and  curse  of  the  law,  and  who  may  every  hour  expect  the  in- 
fernal execution,  if  a speedy  change  do  not  prevent  it.  Oh  ! 
call  after  the  impenitent  with  the  greatest  importunity,  and 
diligently  pursue  this  great  work  of  converting  souls,  what- 
ever else  you  leave  undone ! 

II.  The  next  part  of  our  ministerial  work,  is  for  the  build- 
ing up  those  who  are  already  converted. 

And  here  our  work  is  various,  according  to  the  various 
conditions  of  such. 

1.  Many  of  our  flock  are  young  and  weak ; though  of  long 
standing,  yet  of  small  proficiency  or  strength. 

Indeed  this  is  the  most  common  condition  of  the  godly. 
Most  of  them  stop  at  very  low  degrees  of  grace,  and  it  is  no 
easy  thing  to  get  them  higher.  To  bring  them  to  higher  and 
stricter  opinions,  is  easy  enough;  but  to  increase  their 
knowledge  and  gifts,  is  not  easy,  and  to  increase  their  graces 
is  the  hardest  of  all. 

A state  of  weakness  in  grace  is  of  very  bad  consequence. 
It  abates  consolation  and  delight  in  God,  and  makes  persons 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


257 


less  serviceable  to  God  and  man.  They  dishonor  the  gospel ; 
they  do  but  little  good  to  any  about  them,  or  themselves. 
And  as  they  live  to  but  little  profit,  they  are  unwilling,  and 
too  unfit  to  die.  How  diligent  then  should  ministers  be,  to 
cherish  and  increase  the  graces  of  God’s  people!  The 
strength  of  Christians  is  the  honor  of  the  church.  When 
men  are  inflamed  with  the  love  of  God,  live  by  a lively,  oper- 
ative faith,  set  light  by  the  profits  and  honors  of  the  world., 

love  one  another  with  a pure  heart  fervently,”  can  bear 
and  heartily  forgive  a wrong,  suffer  joyfully”  for  the  cause 
of  Christ,  walk  inoffensively  in  the  world,  study  to  do  good, 
willing  to  be  the  servants  of  all  for  their  good,  becoming  all 
things  to  all  men  that  they  may  win  them,”  yet  ‘‘  abstaining 
from  the  appearance  of  evil,”  and  seasoning  all  their  actions 
with  a sweet  mixture  of  prudence,  humility,  zeal  and  heaven- 
ly spirituality ; O what  an  honor  are  they  to  their  profession  ! 
what  ornaments  to  the  church  1 how  excellently  serviceable 
to  God  and  man  1 The  world  would  sooner  believe  that  the 
gospel  is  indeed  a work  of  truth  and  power,  if  they  could  see 
more  of  these  effects  of  it  upon  the  hearts  and  lives  of  men. 
They  are  better  able  to  read  the  nature  of  a man’s  religion 
in  his  life  than  in  the  bible.  Those  that  ‘ obey  not  the  word 
may  be  won  by  the  conversation,’  1 Pet.  3:  I,  of  such  as 
these.  It  it  therefore  a necessary  part  of  our  work,  to  labor 
after  the  polishing  and  ‘‘  perfecting  of  the  saints,”  that  they 
may  ‘ be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  fitted  for  their  Master’s 
use.’ 

2.  Another  sort  of  converts,  who  need  our  assistance,  are 
such  as  labor  under  some  particular  distemper,  or  such  as 
are  often  overcome  by  some  particular  lusts,  which  keeps 
their  graces  under,  and  makes  them  temptations  or  troubles 
to  others,  and  burdens  to  themselves. 

Alas!  there  are  too  many  such  persons  as  these.  Some 
are  especially  addicted  to  pride,  some  to  worldliness,  some 
to  this  or  that  sensual  desire,  and  many  to  sudden  anger  or 
violent  passions.  Now  it  is  our  duty  to  give  our  assistance 
to  all  these.  We  should  labor,  by  dissuasions  and  clear  dis- 
coveries of  the  odiousnesss  of  their  sin,  and  by  suitable  di- 
rections about  the  way  of  remedy,  to  help  them  to  a fuller 
conquest  of  their  corruptions.  We  are  the  leaders  of  Christ’s 
army  against  the  powers  of  darkness,”  and  we  must  resist 
ail  the  “ works  of  darkness,”  wherever  we  find  them,  though 
it  be  in  ‘‘  the  children  of  light.”  We  must  be  no  more  ten- 
22=^ 


258 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


der  of  the  sins  of  the  godly  than  of  the  ungodly,  nor  ought 
we  any  more  to  befriend  or  favor  them.  In  proportion  as 
we  love  their  pefsons  above  others,  should  we  express  it  by 
opposing  their  sins.  We  must  expect  to  meet  with  some 
tender  persons  among  them,  (especially  when  iniquity  has 
got  to  any  head,  and  many  have  indulged  it,)  who  will  be  as 
pettish,  and  as  impatient  of  reproof,  as  some  worse  men ; 
nay,  they  will  interest  piety  itself  with  their  faults,  and  say 
that  a minister  that  preaches  against  them,  preaches  against 
the  godly.  But  the  servants  of  Christ  must  do  their  duty, 
notwithstanding  men’s  peevishness,  and  must  not  so  far 
“ hate  their  brother,”  Lev.  19:  17,  as  to  forbear  the  plain  re- 
buking of  him,  and  suffer  sin  to  lie  upon  his  soul.” 

3.  Another  sort  of  persons  who  require  our  regard,  are  de- 
clining Christians,  who  are  either  fallen  into  some  scanda- 
lous sin,  or  who  have  abated  their  zeal  and  diligence,  and 
discover  that  they  have  “ lost  their  former  love.” 

As  the  case  of  backsliders  is  very  sad,  our  diligence  must 
be  great  for  their  recovery  It  is  sad  to  themselves,  to  have 
lost  so  much  of  their  life  and  peace  and  usefulness,  and  to 
have  become  so  serviceable  to  Satan  and  his  cause.  It  it  sad 
to  us,  to  see  that  all  our  labor  is  come  to  this ; that  when 
we  have  taken  so  much  pains  with  men,  and  have  entertain- 
ed such  hopes  concerning  them,  all  should  be  so  far  frustra- 
ted. It  is  saddest  of  all,  to  think  that  God  should  be  so 
abused  by  those  whom  he  hath  so  loved,  and  for  whom  he 
has  done  so  much  ; that  the  enemy  should  have  obtained  such 
an  advantage  over  their  graces,  and  that  Christ  should  be  so 
‘‘  wounded  in  the  house  of  his  friends ;”  that  the  name  of 
God  should  be  evil  spoken  of  through  them,  and  that  those 
who  fear  him  should  be  reproached  for  their  sakes.  Besides, 
the  condition  of  such  persons  is  deplorable,  as  a partial  back- 
sliding has  a tendency  towards  a total  apostacy,  and  would 
end  in  it,  if  special  grace  were  not  to  prevent  it.  The  worse 
the  condition  of  such  Christians  is,  the  more  lies  upon  us  for 
their  effectual  recovery.  We  should  “restore  those  that  are 
overtaken  with  a fault,  in  the  spirit  of  meekness,”  Gal.  6:  I, 
and  yet  see  to  it,  that  the  sore  be  thoroughly  searched  and 
healed,  what  pain  soever  it  cost.  We  should  especially  look 
to  the  honor  of  the  gospel,  and  see  that  such  persons  rise  by 
such  free  and  full  confessions,  and  by  such  expressions  of 
true  repentance,  that  some  reparation  may  be  made  to  the 
church  and  their  holy  profession,  for  the  wound  of  dishonor 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


259 


they  have  given  both,  by  their  sin.  Much  skill  is  required 
to  the  restoring  of  such  souls. 

. 4.  Much  of  our  assistance  is  necessary  for  such  of  our 
people  as  have  fallen  under  some  great  temptation. 

Every  minister,  therefore,  should  have  much  insight  into 
‘‘Satan’s  wiles.”  We,  of  all  persons,  should  “ not  be  igno- 
rant of  his  devices.”  We  should  be  acquainted  with  the 
great  variety  of  them,  with  the  cunning  craft  of  his  instru- 
ments, “ who  lie  in  wait  to  deceive,”  and  with  all  the  methods 
used  by  the  grand  deceiver.  Some  of  our  people  lie  under 
temptations  to  error ; especially  the  young,  the  unsettled,  the 
seif-conceited,  and  such  as  are  most  conversant  with  sedu- 
cers. Young,  raw,  ungrounded  Christians,  are  commonly  of 
their  mind  who  have  most  interest  in  their  esteem,  and  most 
opportunity  of  familiar  conversation  to  draw  them  into  their 
way.  And  as  they  are  tinder,  erroneous  persons  want  not 
the  sparks  of  zeal  to  set  them  on  fire.  A zeal  for  error  and 
opinions  of  our  own  is  natural ; it  is  easily  kindled  and  kept 
alive ; though  it  is  far  otherwise  with  a spiritual  zeal  for  God. 
How  much  prudence  and  industry  then  is  necessary  for  a 
pastor,  to  preserve  the  flock  from  being  corrupted  with  nox- 
ious conceits ; and  especially  such  as  lie  under  peculiar 
temptations  to  it ! Others  are  under  temptations  to  worldly- 
mindedness,  others  to  intemperance,  others  to  lust;  some  to 
one  sin,  and  some  to  another.  A faithful  pastor,  therefore, 
should  have  his  eye  upon  all  his  flock,  should  labor  to  be  ac- 
quainted with  their  natural  dispositions,  with  their  business 
in  the  world,  with  the  company  they  live  in,  or  are  most  con- 
versant with;  that  so  he  may  know  where  their  temptations 
lie,  and  endeavor  speedily,  prudently  and  diligently  to  help 
them,  both  by  his  public  preaching  and  private  discourse. 

5.  Another  branch  of  our  ministerial  work,  is  to  comfort 
the  disconsolate,  and  to  settle  the  peace  of  our  people’s  souls 
on  sure  and  lasting  grounds. 

To  which  end,  the  quality  of  their  complaints,  and  the 
course  of  their  lives  had  need  to  be  known ; for  all  persons 
must  not  have  the  same  consolations,  who  have  the  same 
complaints.^ 


^ The  author  tells  us,  that  the  reason  of  his  brevity  on  this  head, 
was,  that  he  had  particularly  treated  of  it  in  some  of  his  other  works, 
and  that  this  subject  has  been  considered  at  large  by  several  other 
authors,  particularly  by  Mr.  Bolton,  in  his  “ Instructions  for  right 
comforting.” 


260 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


6.  Another  part  of  our  work  with  regard  to  real  Christians, 
respects  those  who  are  strong  and  lively. 

They  have  need  of  our  assistance,  partly  to  prevent  their 
temptations  and  declensions,  or  to  preserve  the  grace  they 
have,  partly  to  help  them  to  a further  progress  and  increase, 
and  partly  to  direct  them  in  the  improvement  of  their  graces 
for  the  service  of  Christ  and  the  assistance  of  their  brethren ; 
as  also  to  encourage  them  (especially  the  aged,  the  tempted 
and  the  afflicted)  to  persevere,  that  they  “ may  receive  their 
crown.’’ 

III.  Those  whose  characters  are  doubtful,  are  also  to  be 
regarded  both  in  our  public  and  private  discourses. 

There  are  some  of  our  flock,  who  by  a professed  willing- 
ness to  learn  and  obey,  make  it  probable  that  they  may  have 
true  repentance  and  faith,  who  yet,  by  their  ignorance  or 
lukewarmness  or  by  some  uneven  walking,  will  occasion  us 
fears  as  great  as,  or  greater  than  our  hopes  with  regard  to 
their  present  safety.  We  may  see  occasion  to  doubt  the 
worst,  though  we  have  not  ground  to  charge  them  with  being 
unconverted  and  impenitent  persons.  I think  half  that  come 
to  me  are  of  this  sort,  among  whom  I almost  dare  pronounce 
ten  to  one  to  be  unregenerate. 

Now  it  may  put  some  younger  ministers  to  a difficulty  to 
know  what  they  should  do  with  this  sort  of  people,  where 
they  have  no  sufficient  ground  to  pronounce  them  godly  or 
ungodly,  whatever  their  fears  or  hopes  may  be.  I would  ad- 
vise you  to  be  very  cautious  how  you  pass  too  hasty  or  abso- 
lute censures  on  any  that  you  have  to  do  with ; because  it  is 
not  an  easy  matter  to  discern  that  a man  is  certainly  grace- 
less, who  professes  to  be  a Christian.  Besides,  we  may  dis- 
charge our  duty  with  regard  to  such  persons,  without  an  ab- 
solute conclusion  concerning  their  real  characters.  With 
regard  to  such,  let  the  following  hints  suffice. 

Keep  them  close  to  the  use  of  public  and  private  means. 
Be  often  with  the  lukewarm  and  careless,  to  admonish  and 
awaken  them  ; for  this  purpose  take  the  opportunities  of 
sickness,  which  will  bow  their  hearts  and  open  their  ears. 
See  that  they  spend  the  Lord’s  day,  and  order  their  families, 
aright.  Draw  them  ofi*  from  the  temptations  to,  and  occa- 
sions of  sin.  Charge  them  to  come  to  you  for  help  when 
their  minds  are  distressed,  to  open  to  you  their  temptations 
and  dangers,  before  they  are  swallowed  up  by  them.  In 
your  preaching,  and  your  discourse  with  them,  strike  at  the 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


261 


great  radical  sins;  self-seeking,  carnality,  sensuality,  pride, 
worldly-mindeduess,  infidelity,  etc.  Press  them  to  reading 
the  Scriptures  and  other  good  books  ; and  direct  them  to  such 
as  are  most  likely  to  awaken  them.  Engage  their  godly 
neighbors  to  have  an  eye  over  them.  Keep  up  discipline  in 
the  church,  to  awe  them.  But  especially  maintain  the  life 
of  grace  in  your  own  souls,  that  it  may  so  appear  to  them  in 
all  your  sermons,  that  every  one  who  comes  cold  to  the  as- 
sembly, may  have  his  mind  properly  affected  before  he  de- 
parts. 

[Thus  have  we  given  some  directions  for  discharging  our 
ministerial  duty  with  regard  to  the  unconverted,  to  real  con- 
verts of  various  classes,  and  to  those  whose  characters  are 
doubtful.  But  there  is  another  sort  of  men,  whom  we  may 
probably  meet  with,  in  regard  to  whom  it  may  be  proper  in 
this  chapter  to  give  a few  hints  of  advice;]  That  is, 

IV.  Opiniated  persons,  who  being  tainted  with  pride  and 
self-conceit,  are  more  ready  to  teach,  than  to  be  taught ; who 
rather  than  receive  instruction  from  you,  will  quarrel  with 
you  as  ignorant  or  erroneous. 

The  preservation  of  the  unity  and  peace  of  your  congre- 
gations, doth  very  much  depend  on  your  right  dealing  with 
such  persons  as  these.  [ — In  order  to  cure  them  of  their 
conceits,  and  to  prevent  others  from  being  infected  with 
them,  take  the  following  directions.] 

1.  If  any  such  person  should  fall  in  your  way  in  any  of 
your  private  conferences  with  your  people,  and  by  his  im- 
pertinence should  strive  to  divert  you  from  better  discourse, 
tell  him  that  the  meeting  was  appointed  for  another  use,  and 
that  you  think  it  improper  to  pervert  it  from  that.  However, 
let  him  know,  that  you  do  not  say  this  to  avoid  any  trial  of 
the  truth,  but  that  you  will,  at  any  other  time,  give  him  sat- 
isfaction or  receive  instruction  from  him. 

2.  When  you  meet  him  with  such  an  intent,  ask  him  such 
questions  as  appear  to  be  of  great  importance,  but  take  care 
to  throw  some  difficulty  in  his  way,  and  be  sure  to  keep  the 
predicate  out  of  your  questions ; put  him  most  upon  de- 
fining or  distinguishing.!  If  he  discover  his  ignorance  in 
the  case  proposed,  endeavor  to  humble  him  under  a sense  of 
his  pride  and  presumption,  in  going  about  with  a teaching. 


1 The  author  produces  a number  of  such  questions  (Chap.  viii.  § 
1.)  which  it  was  judged  unnecessary  here  to  retain. 


262 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


contentious  behavior,  while  he  is  so  ignorant  in  things  of 
very  great  moment.  At  the  same  time,  see  to  it  that  you  are 
able  to  give  him  information  with  regard  to  those  points, 
wherein  you  find  him  ignorant. 

3.  Take  care  to  discern  the  spirit  of  the  man.  If  ho 
be  a settled,  perverse  schismatic,  quite  transported  with 
pride,  humble  him  as  much  as  you  can  before  other  per- 
sons. But  if  you  find  him  godly,  and  ther^  is  hope  of  his 
restoration,  only  do  this  in  a private  manner.  Do  not  let 
fall  any  bitter  words  that  would  tend  to  his  disparagement. 
We  must  always  be  as  tender  of  the  reputation  of  goo<l  men, 
as  our  fidelity  to  them  and  the  truth  will  permit.  We  must 
‘‘  restore  such  with  the  spirit  of  meekness,’’  Gal.  6:  1.  There 
is  little  hope  of  doing  them  any  good,  if  you  once  exasperate 
them  and  disafiect  them  towards  you. 

4.  If  you  come  to  debate  any  controversy  with  such  per- 
sons, tell  them,  that  seeing  they  think  themselves  able  to 
teach  you,  it  is  your  desire  to  learn.  When  they  have  spoken 
their  minds  to  you  in  their  dictatorial  manner,  let  them 
know,  that  they  have  said  nothing  new  to  you ; that  you  had 
considered  of  it  all  before,  and  that  if  you  had  seen  divine 
evidence  for  it,  you  had  received  it  long  ago;  that  you  are 
truly  willing  to  receive  all  truth,  but  that  you  have  far  better 
evidence  for  the  doctrines  you  have  embraced,  than  they 
have  for  the  contrary.  If  they  desire  to  hear  what  your  evi- 
dence is,  tell  them,  that  if  they  will  hear  as  learners,  with 
impartiality  and  humility,  freely  entertaining  the  truth,  you 
will  communicate  your  evidence  to  them  in  the  best  manner 
you  can.  When  you  have  brought  any  such  person  to  this, 
first  show  him  your  reasons  against  the  grossest  imperfec- 
tions of  his  own  discourse,  and  then  give  him  a few  of  the 
clearest  texts  of  Scripture  in  support  of  your  sentiments. 
When  you  have  done,  give  him  some  book  that  best  defends 
the  truth  in  question  ; desire  him  to  peruse  it  carefully,  and 
to  bring  you  a sober,  solid  answer  to  it,  if,  after  the  perusal, 
he  judge  it  to  be  unsound.  And  if  you  can,  fasten  some 
one  of  the  most  striking  evidences  on  him,  before  you  leave 
him.  If  he  refuse  to  read  the  book,  endeavor  to  convince 
him  of  his  unfaithfulness  to  the  truth  and  his  own  soul. 

But  above  all,  before  you  part,  sum  up  the  truths  wherein 
you  are  both  agreed.  Ask  such  a person,  whether  he  sup- 
poses that  you  may  obtain  salvation  if  you  live  according  to 
your  faith?  And,  if  he  will  allow  that  you  may,  whether 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


263 


they  that  are  so  far  agreed  should  not  live  in  love  and  peace, 
as  children  of  the  same  God,  and  heirs  of  the  same  kingdom? 
whether,  notwithstanding  your  smaller  difference,  you  are 
not  bound  to  hold  communion  in  public  worship  and  church 
relation,  and  to  walk  together  in  the  fear  of  God?  And 
whether  it  be  not  schism  to  separate  for  the  sake  of  so  small 
a disagreement  ? 

5.  In  order  to  preserve  the  church  from  such  an  infection  it 
is  desirable,  that  the  minister  be  so  far  superior  to  the  people, 
as  to  be  able  to  teach  them,  and  keep  them  in  awe,  and  man- 
ifest their  weaknesses  to  themselves  and  others.  The  truth 
is,  (a  truth  which  cannot  be  hid,)  it  is  much  owing  to  the 
weakness  of  ministers,  that  our  poor  people  run  into  so  many 
factions.  When  a proud  seducer  has  a nimble  tongue,  and 
a minister  is  so  dull  or  ignorant  as  to  be  confounded  by  him 
in  company,  it  brings  him  into  contempt,  and  overthrow's  the 
weak,  who  judge  his  to  be  the  best  cause,  that  talks  in  the 
most  confident,  plausible  and  triumphant  manner. 

6.  Endeavor  frequently  and  thoroughly  to  possess  your 
people’s  minds  with  the  nature,  necessity  and  daily  use  of 
the  great  unquestionable  principles  of  religion,  and  of  the 
great  sin  and  danger  of  a perverse  zeal  about  the  lower 
points ; especially  before  the  greater  are  well  understood. 
Convince  them  of  the  obligations  we  are  all  under,  to  main- 
tain the  unity  and  peace  of  the  church. 

If  any  small  (but  hurtful)  controversy  should  arise,  in 
order  to  divert  them  from  it,  do  you  raise  a greater  yourself; 
which  you  have  better  advantage  to  manage,  and  which  is 
not  likely  to  make  a division.  Let  contentious  persons  know 
that  there  are  greater  difficulties  than  theirs,  first  to  be  re- 
solved. Go  and  converse  with  the  persons  whom  you  per- 
ceive to  be  affected  with  any  noxious  conceits,  as  soon  as 
possible.  When  a fire  is  kindling,  resist  it  in  the  beginning, 
and  make  not  light  of  the  smallest  spark. 

7.  Preach  to  such  auditors  as  these,  some  higher  points 
which  shall  be  above  their  understandings.  Feed  them  not 
always  with  milk,”  but  sometimes  with  ‘‘strong  meat;” 
for  it  exceedingly  puffs  them  up  w'ith  pride,  when  they  hear 
nothing  from  ministers,  but  what  they  already  know,  and  can 
say  themselves;  this  it  is  that  makes  them  think  themselves 
as  wise  as  you,  and  as  fit  to  be  teachers,  and  it  is  this  that 
hath  set  so  many  of  them  on  preaching;  for  they  believe  that 
you  know  no  more  than  you  preach.  However,  do  not 


264 


THE  REFORMED  FASTOR. 


neglect  the  great  fundamentals  of  religion,  nor  wrong  other 
persons,  for  their  sakes. 

8.  Be  sure  to  preach  as  little  as  possible  against  such  per- 
sons as  these.  Never  in  a direct  manner  oppose  their  sect 
by  name,  or  any  reproachful  titles ; for  such  persons  are  or- 
dinarily exceeding  tender,  proud,  passionate  and  rash;  so 
that  they  will  but  hate  you,  and  fly  from  you  as  an  enemy, 
and  say  that  you  rail  at  them.  Without  mentioning  them, 
lay  the  grounds  clearly  and  soundly,  which  must  subvert  their 
errors.  If  you  are  obliged  at  any  time  to  deal  with  them 
directly,  handle  the  controversy  thoroughly,  peaceably  and 
convincingly.  Be  not  long  upon  it  ; do  not  say  all  that  can 
be  said;  but  choose  that  which  they  can  have  the  least  pre- 
tence to  quarrel  with,  and  omit  what  would  require  more 
trouble  to  defend. 

9.  Keep  up  private  meetings,  and  draw  these  persons  in 
among  you  ; manage  them  prudently,  and  by  this  means  you 
may  keep  them  from  such  meetings  among  themselves,  as 
will  promote  divisions.  Professors  very  commonly  will  have 
private  meetings,  which,  if  well  conducted,  are  of  great  use 
to  their  edification,  but  if  not,  will  be  of  bad  consequence. 

In  the  management  of  them  for  the  present  purpose,  ob- 
serve the  following  rules.  Be  sure  that  you  give  a constant 
attendance.  Let  not  the  exercises  of  the  meeting  be  such  as 
encourage  private  men’s  ostentation  of  their  gifts,  but  such 
as  tend  to  the  edification  of  the  people.  Do  not  let  private 
men  preach  or  expound  Scripture ; nor  let  every  one  speak 
to  questions  of  his  own  proposing ; but  do  you  repeat  the 
sermons  you  have  preached,  call  upon  God  in  prayer,  and 
sing  his  praise.  Yet  let  there  be  some  opportunity  for  the 
people  to  speak.  When  you  have  done  repeating,  give  them 
liberty  to  propose  any  difficulties  they  want  to  have  resolved 
respecting  the  subject  in  hand,  or  any  other.  If  you  perceive 
any  of  them  bent  upon  the  exercise  of  their  abilities  for  os- 
tentation, be  not  too  severe  upon  them,  but  mildly  let  them 
know,  that  it  is  for  their  good  and  the  edification  of  the 
church,  that  you  oppose  it.  However, 

10.  Make  use  of  your  people’s  gifts  to  the  uttermost,  as 
your  helpers,  in  their  proper  places,  in  an  ordinary  way,  and 
under  your  guidance.  This  may  prevent  them  from  using 
them  in  a disorderly  way,  in  opposition  to  you.  It  has  been 
a great  cause  of  schism,  that  ministers  have  contemptuously 
refused  to  make  use  of  private  men’s  gifts  for  their  assistance 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


265 


and  thrust  them  too  far  from  holy  things.  The  good  work 
is  likely  to  go  on  but  poorly,  if  none  but  ministers  are  em- 
ployed in  it.  By  a prudent  improvement  of  the  gifts  of  the 
more  able  Christians,  (none  of  which  God  gave  to  be  buried, 
but  for  common  use,)  we  may  receive  much  help  from  them,, 
and  prevent  their  abuse,  as  lawful  marriage  prevents  forni- 
cation. 

You  may  use  the  gifts  of  your  people  for  several  purposes; 
e.  g.  urge  them  to  be  diligent  in  teaching,  catechising,  and' 
praying  with  their  own  families.  Recommend  it  to  them  tO' 
step  out  now  and  then,  to  their  ignorant  neighbors,  to  cate- 
chise and  instruct  them,  in  meekness  and  patience.  Desire 
them  to  go  often  to  impenitent  and  scandalous  sinners,  and 
endeavor,  with  all  possible  skill  and  earnestness,  yet  also  with 
love  and  patience,  to  reform,  convert  and  save  their  souls. 
Acquaint  them  with  their  duty  of  watching  over  each  other 
‘‘  in  brotherly  love of  admonishing  and  exhorting  one 
another  daily if  any  of  them  walk  disorderly,  to  reprove 
them,  and  if  they  prevail  not,  “ to  tell  the  officers  of  the 
church,’^  that  they  may  be  further  dealt  with,  as  Christ 
has  appointed.  At  your  private  meetings,  employ  them  in 
prayer.  In  some  cases,  send  them  to  visit  particular  persons 
in  your  stead,  when  you  are  prevented  from  going.  Let 
some  of  them  be  chosen  to  represent,  and  be  agents  for  the 
church,  in  affairs  of  importance  relating  to  it.  Let  such  as 
are  fit,  be  made  subservient  officers,  I mean  deacons^  that 
they  may  afford  you  help  in  a regular  way ; and  then  they 
will,  by  their  relation,  discern  themselves  obliged  to  maintain 
the  unity  of  the  church,  and  the  authority  of  the  ministry. 
But  be  sure  that  they  be  men  competently  qualified  for  the 
office. 

I am  persuaded,  if  ministers  had  thus  used  the  abilities  of 
their  ablest  members,  they  might  have  prevented  much  of  the 
division,  distraction  and  apostasy,  that  have  befallen  us;  for 
they  would  then  have  found  work  enough  upon  their  hands, 
for  higher  parts  than  theirs,  without  invading  the  ministry, 
and  would  have  seen  cause  to  bewail  the  inequality  of  their 
abilities  to  the  work  which  belonged  to  them.  Experience 
would  have  convinced  and  humbled  them  more  than  our 
words  will  do. 

11.  Still  keep  up  Christian  love  and  familiarity  even  with 
those  that  have  begun  to  warp  and  make  defection; ; lose  not 
23 


266 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


your  interest  in  them  while  you  have  any  thoughts  of  at- 
tempting their  recovery. 

If  they  withdraw  into  separate  nceetings,  follow  them,  and 
enter  into  a mild  debate  a&  to  the  lawfulness  of  it.  Tell  them 
that  you  have  a mind  to  hear  what  they  have  to  say,  and  to 
be  among  them  for  their  good,  if  they  will  give  you  leave, 
for  fear  they  should  run  to  further  evil.  You  will  thereby 
prevent  much  reviling,  and  the  venting  of  further  errors,  and 
by  a moderate,  gentle  opposition  of  them,  may  in  time  con- 
vince them  of  their  folly  ; and  by  this  means,  if  any  seducers 
come  from  abroad  to  confirm  them,  you  will  be  ready  to  op- 
pose them,  and  so  you  will  at  least  do  much  to  prevent  the 
increase  of  their  party. 

Ministers  themselves  have  occasioned  many  of  the  divi- 
sions in  England,  by  contemning  those  that  have  withdrawn 
into  separate  meetings,  by  talking  against  them,  and  by  re- 
proving them  in  the  pulpit ; while  they  have  been  entire 
strangers  to  them,  or  have  shunned  their  company,  and  in 
the  meantime  have  given  seducers  an  opportunity  to  be 
familiar  with  them,  and  to  do  what  they  pleased  with  them 
without  contradiction.  Oh  that  ministers  had  been  kvSS 
guilty  of  the  errors  and  schisms  that  they  talk  against ! But 
it  is  easier  to  chide  sectaries  in  the  pulpit,  and  subscribe  a 
testimony  against  them,  than  to  play  the  skilful  physician  for 
their  cure,  or  to  do  the  tenth  part  of  our  duty  to  prevent  or 
heal  their  disorders.  I am  not  finding  fault  with  prudent 
reprehensions  of,  or  testimonies  against  them  in  public  ; but 
I think  too  many  of  us  have  cause  to  fear,  lest  we  do  but 
publicly  proclaim  our  own  shame  by  our  negligence  or  weak- 
ness, and  lest,  in  condemning  and  testifying  against  them, 
we  testify  against  and  condemn  ourselves. 

12.  In  order  to  preserve  your  church  from  divisions,  and 
to  keep  your  people  from  running  after  irregular,  libertine 
preachers,  be  sure  that  you  never  let  these  authors  of  schism 
outdo  you  in  anything  that  is  good. 

As  truth  should  be  more  effectual  for  sanctification  than 
error,  if  you  give  them  this  advantage,  you  give  them  the 
day,  and  all  your  disputations  will  do  but  little  good.  Weak 
people  judge  all  by  the  outward  appearance,  and  by  the  ef- 
fects, not  being  able  to  judge  of  the  doctrine  itself;  they 
think  he  has  the  best  cause,  whom  they  take  to  be  the  best 
man.  I extend  this  rule  both  to  doctrine  and  to  life  : e.  g.  if 
a libertine  preach  free  grace,  do  you  preach  it  up  more  ef- 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


2G7 


fectually  than  he ; be  much  more  upon  it,  and  make  it  more 
glorious  on  right  grounds,  than  he  can  do  on  his  wrong.  If 
on  the  like  pretence  he  magnify  the  grace  of  love,  do  not 
contradict  him  in  the  affirmative,  only  in  the  negative  and 
destructive  part ; but  go  beyond  him,  and  preach  up  the  love 
of  God  with  its  motives  and  effects,  more  fully  and  effectually 
than  he  can  do  on  the  corrupt  grounds  on  which  he  pro- 
ceeds; or  else  you  will  make  all  the  silly  people  believe,  that 
the  difference  between  you  and  him  is,  that  he  is  for  free 
grace  and  for  the  love  of  God,  and  that  you  are  against  both. 
So  if  an  enthusiast  talks  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  the  light  and 
witness  and  law  within  us,  do  you  fall  upon  that  subject  too, 
and  do  tiiat  well  which  he  does  ill;  preach  up  the  office  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  his  indwelling  and  operations,  the  light  and 
testimony  and  law  within  us,  better  than  he  does.  You  must 
dwell  upon  these  things  in  your  preaching,  as  well  as  he ; for 
the  people  will  take  no  notice  of  a short  concession.  I might 
mention  many  more  instances  to  this  purpose,  but  these  will 
be  sufficient  to  show  what  I mean;  the  sum  of  which  is,  that 
preaching  truth  is  the  most  successful  way  of  confuting  error. 
Further, 

We  should  be  careful  that  seducers  do  not  excel  us  in  the 
practice  of  religious  duties,  any  more  than  in  defending  any 
sacred  truths. 

Do  any  of  them  express  a hatred  of  sin,  and  a desire  of 
church-reformation?  We  should  much  more.  Do  they, 
when  they  meet  together,  spend  their  time  in  religious  dis- 
course, instead  of  vain  jangling  ? Let  us  do  so  much  more. 
Are  they  unwearied  in  propagating  their  opinions  ? Let  us 
be  much  more  diligent  in  propagating  the  truth.  Will  they 
condescend  to  the  meanest,  and  ‘ creep  into  houses  to  lead 
captive  the  silliest’  of  the  flock?  Let  us  stoop  as  low,  and  be 
as  diligent,  to  do  them  good.  Are  they  loving  to  their  party 
and  contemners  of  the  world  ? Let  us  be  lovers  of  all,  es- 
pecially of  all  the  saints.  Let  us  ‘‘  do  good  to  all,  especially 
to  those  of  the  household  of  faith.”  Let  us  love  an  enemy 
as  well  as  they  can  do  a friend.  Let  us  be  more  just  than 
they,  more  merciful  'than  they,  more  humble,  meek,  and 
patient  than  they ; for  this  is  the  wall  of  God,  that  by  well- 
doing, we  put  to  silence  the  ignorance  of  foolish  men,”  1 Pet. 
2:  15.  There  is  no  virtue  wherein  your  example  will  do 
more  to  abate  men’s  prejudices,  than  humility,  meekness  and 
self-denial.  Forgive  injuries,  and  be  not  overcome  of  evil, 


268 


THE  REFORMED  PARSON. 


but  overcome  evil  with  good.’^  Imitate  our  blessed  Lord, 
“ who  when  he  was  reviled,  reviled  not  again.”  Take  not 
up  carnal  weapons  against  your  enemies,  (further  than  self- 
preservation  or  the  public  good  requireth  it,)  but  overcome 
them  with  kindness,  patience  and  gentleness.  If  you  believe 
that  Christ  was  more  irnitable  than  Caesar  or  Alexander,  and 
that  it  is  more  glorious  to  be  a Christian  than  a conqueror, 
or  to  be  a man  than  a beast,  contend  with  charity  and  not 
with  violence.  Do  not  set  force  against  force ; but  meek- 
ness, love  and  patience.  If  we  thus  excel  these  men  in  a 
holy,  harmless,  righteous,  merciful,  fruitful  and  heavenly  life, 
as  well  as  in  soundness  of  doctrine,  ‘ by  our  fruits  we  shall 
be  know  n and  the  weaker  sort  of  people  will  see  the  truth, 
in  this  reflection  of  it,  who  cannot  see  it  in  itself.  Then  our 
‘ light  will  so  shine  before  men,  that  they  may  be  led  to  glo- 
rify our  father  who  is  in  heaven and  even  ‘ they  that  obey 
not  the  word,  may,  without  the  word,  be  won  by  the  conver- 
sation,’ 1 Pet.  3:  1,2,  of  their  teachers. 

Oh  how  happy  had  England  been ; how  happy  had  all  the 
churches  been,  if  the  ministers  of  the  gospel  had  taken  these 
courses!  This  would  have  done  more  against  error  and 
schism,  than  all  our  exclaiming  against  them  hath  done,  or 
than  all  the  force  of  the  magistrate  can  do. 


CHAPTEE  IV. 

OF  CATECHISING  ‘.1  WITH  PARTICULAR  DIRECTIONS  IN 
REFERENCE  TO  IT. 

[Having  treated  of  private  and  personal  instruction,  we 
proceed  to  recommend  one  very  excellent  and  useful  method 
of  conducting  it,  viz.  by  Catechising.]  For  the  better  man- 
agement of  this  work,  the  following  directions  may  be  of 


^ By  Catechising,  the  Author  plainly  meant,  not  only  hearing  per- 
sons repeat,  and  expounding  to  them,  a form  of  words  containing  the 
grand  and  common  principles  of  religion;  but  proposing  to  them 
familiar  questions  of  our  own^  in  order  the  better  to  judge  of  their 
knowledge  and  dispositions,  and  to  be  the  more  capable  of  suiting 
our  instructions  and  admonitions  to  them.  And  this  method  he  re- 
commends to  be  used  not  only  with  respect  to  children,  but  those 
who  are  come  to  years  of  maturity. 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


269 


service;  they  are  of  two  kinds,  viz.  for  bringing  your  people 
to  comply  with  your  design,  and  for  executing  it  in  the  most 
acceptable  and  useful  manner. 

I.  In  order  to  bring  those  persons  to  comply  with  this 
method  of  instruction,  [whom  you  think  proper,  thus  to  in- 
struct.] 

It  will  be  a matter  of  vast  importance  to  behave  yourselves, 
through  the  main  course  of  your  ministry,  in  such  a manner 
as  may  convince  them  of  your  ability,  and  your  unfeigned 
love  to  them.  When  people  are  convinced  that  a minister 
is  qualified  for  his  work,  and  intends  no  private  ends  of  his 
own  but  merely  their  good,  they  will  more  readily  stoop  to 
his  advice,  and  be  persuaded  by  him. 

Supposing  this  general  preparation,  the  next  thing  to  be 
done  is,  to  convince  your  people  of  the  benefit  and  necessity 
of  this  method  of  instruction,  for  the  good  of  their  souls.  In 
order  to  this,  it  will  be  proper  to  preach  some  plain  and 
serious  sermons  to  show  the  benefit  and  necessity  of  an  ac- 
quaintance with  divine  truths  in  general,  particularly  the  great 
principles  of  religion;  and  that  persons  advanced  in  life  have 
equal  need  to  be  instructed  in  them  with  others,  and  in  some 
respects  greater.  Make  them  understand  that  this  is  not  an 
arbitrary  business  of  your  devising  or  imposing,  but  that 
‘‘necessity  is  laid  upon  you”  to  look  to  every  member  of 
your  flock,  according  to  your  ability,  and  that  if  you  neglect 
to  do  it,  they  may  “perish  in  their  iniquities,  and  their  blood 
be  required  at  your  hands.”  When  this  is  done,  furnish 
every  family  with  a catechism  [where  you  apprehend  they 
need  it]  or  see  that  they  furnish  themselves.  Take  a cata- 
logue of  the  names  of  all  those  whom  you  intend  thus*  to  in- 
struct, that  you  may  know  whom  to  expect,  and  who  fail  to 
give  their  attendance.  Deal  very  gently  with  them,  and  take 
off  all  discouragements  as  effectually  as  you  can.  Do  not 
insist  upon  every  person’s  committing  the  catechism  to  memo- 
ry; but,  where  they  labor  under  peculiar  difficulties,  only 
exhort  them  to  read  it  often,  and  get  the  substance  of  it  into 
their  minds  and  hearts.  If  any  persons  will  not  submit  to 
be  thus  instructed  by  you,  go  to  them  and  expostulate  the 
matter  with  them  ; know  what  their  reasons  are,  and  con- 
vince them  of  the  sinfulness  and  danger  of  contemning  the 
help  that  is  offered  them.  Souls  [are  so  precious,  that  we 
should  not  lose  one  for  want  of  labor,  but  should  follow  thena 
23* 


270 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


while  there  is  any  hope,  and  not  give  them  up  as  desperate, 
till  there  be  no  remedy.^ 

n.  Having  brought  your  people  to  comply  with  this  kind 
of  instruction,  the  next  thing  to  be  considered  is,  how  you 
should  deal  the  most  effectually  with  them  in  the  work. 

And  I must  say  that  I think  it  is  a much  easier  matter  to 
compose  and  preach  a good  sermon,  than  to  deal  rightly  with 
an  ignorant  man  for  his  instruction  in  the  principles  of  re- 
ligion. This  work  will  try  the  abilities  and  tempers  of  min- 
isters ; it  will  show  the  difference  between  one  man  and  an- 
other, more  than  pulpit-preaching  can  do.  Good  bishop  Usher 
observes,  ‘‘  As  the  laying  of  the  foundation  skilfully,  is  a 
matter  of  the  greatest  importance  in  the  whole  building,  so 
it  is  the  very  master-piece  of  the  wisest  builder.  Thus  the 
^apostle  Paul  conceived  of  it  when  he  said,  ‘ According  to  the 
grace  of  God  given  to  me,  as  a wise  master  builder,  I laid 
the  foundation 1 Cor.  3:  10.  The  neglect  of  this,  is  the 
frustrating  the  whole  work  of  the  ministry.”  The  directions 
which  I think  should  be  observed  in  managing  this  work, 
are  the  following. 

1.  When  your  people,  one  family  or  more,  come  to  you, 
(which  perhaps  it  will  be  the  best  for  them  to  do,2)  begin 
your  work  with  a short  preface  to  remove  all  discourage- 
ments, and  to  prepare  them  for  your  instructions ; e.  g.  “ It 
may  perhaps  appear  to  some  of  you,  my  friends,  an  uncom- 


1 — tt  Ignorant  souls  (says  Mr.  Gurnal)  feel  no  such  smart  as  to  put 
them  upon  inquiring  for  a physician.  If  the  minister  stay  till  they 
send  for  him  to  instruct  them,  he  may  sooner  hear  the  bell  go  for 
them  th*n  any  messenger  come  for  him.  You  must  seek  them  out, 
and  not  expect  that  they  will  come  to  you.  These  are  a sort  of 
people  that  are  more  afraid  of  their  remedy  than  their  disease,  and 
study  more  to  hide  their  ignorance  than  to  have  it  cured  ; it  should 
make  us  pity  them  the  more  because  they  can  pity  themselves  so 
little.  . . . It  is  an  unhappiness  to  some  of  us,  who  have  to  do  with 
a multitude,  that  we  cannot  attend  on  them,  as  their  needs  require 
. . . but  let  us  look  to  it,  that  though  we  cannot  do  what  we  should, 
we  be  not  wanting  in  what  we  may.” — Gurnal’s  Christian  Armor, 
p.  235,  quoted  by  the  author  at  the  end  of  his  preface.  The  whole 
passage  is  worth  reading. 

^ Mr.  Baxter,  in  his  preface,  tells  us  what  was  his  method : “ At 
the  delivery  of  the  catechisms  (says  he)  I take  a catalogue  of  all  the 
persons  of  understanding  in  the  parish  ; the  clerk  goes  a week  before 
hand  to  every  family  to  tell  them  when  to  come,  and  at  what  hour  ; 
e.  g.  one  family  at  eight  o’clock,  the  next  at  nine,  the  next  at  ten, 
etc.” 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


271 


mon  and  troublesome  business,  which  I now  put  you  upon ; 
but  I hope  you  will  not  think  it  needless.  Had  I thought  so, 
I should  have  saved  you  and  myself  this  labor.  But  God  has 
told  me  in  his  word,  how  great  a thing  it  is  to  have  the 
charge  of  souls,  and  that  ‘ the  blood  of  them  that  perish  will 
be  required  at  the  hands’  of  such  ministers  as  neglect  them  ; 
so  that  my  conscience  will  not  suffer  me  to  be  so  guilty  of 
such  a neglect,  as  I have  been.  The  Lord  only  knows  how 
long  you  and  I may  be  together ; it  therefore  concerns  me 
to  do  what  I can  for  your  salvation  and  my  own,  before  I 
leave  you  and  the  world.  I hope  you  will  be  glad  of  help  in 
so  needful  a work,  and  not  think  much  of  it  that  I put  you 
to  this  trouble,  when  even  the  trifles  of  the  world  cannot  be 
gotten  without  much  greater.” 

2.  In  general,  take  each  person  alone,  and  discourse  with 
him  out  of  the  hearing  of  the  rest ; for  some  do  not  like  to 
be  questioned  before  others,  and  cannot  answer  you  with 
freedom.  However,  let  none  be  present  but  those  of  the 
same  family,  or  those  with  whom  they  are  familiar.  I find 
by  experience  that,  in  general,  people  will  bear  plain  and 
close  dealing  about  their  sin,  their  misery  and  their  duty, 
when  you  have  them  alone,  better  than  when  others  are  pre- 
sent. 

3.  As  for  those  that  commit  a catechism  to  memory,  it  may 
be  proper  at  the  beginning  of  these  exercises,  to  take  an  ac- 
count of  what  they  have  learned,  and  to  hear  them  repeat  the 
answers  to  each  question. 

4.  When  you  form  questions  of  your  own  to  propose  to 
them,  be  careful  of  the  following  things.  Let  them  be  such 
as  they  may  perceive  to  be  of  great  importance,  and  of  the 
nearest  concernment  to  themselves  ; — e.  g.  What  do  you 
think  becomes  of  men  when  they  die?  Do  you  believe  that 
you  have  sinned  ? What  doth  sin  deserve  ? What  remedy 
hath  God  provided  for  saving  sinful  and  miserable  souls  ? 
Hath  any  one  suffered  for  sin  in  our  stead?  Who  are  they 
that  God  will  pardon  ? What  change  must  be  made  on  all 
that  will  be  saved?  And  how  is  it  made?  Where  is 
our  chief  happiness,  and  what  must  our  hearts  be  most  set 
upon?” — Take  heed  of  asking  them  any  nice,  doubtful,  or 
difficult  questions.  Be  very  cautious  how  you  put  them  up- 
on definitions,  or  descriptions ; so  contrive  to  bring  the  pre- 
dicate into  your  questions,  that  they  may  perceive  what  you 
mean  ; e.  g,  “ What  is  God  ? Is  he  flesh  and  blood  as  we 


272 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


are,  or  is  he  a spirit?” — Look  not  after  words  but  things; 
and  often  leave  them  to  a bare  or  no ; for  there  are  ma- 
ny elderly  and  godly  people  who  cannot  speak  their  minds  in 
any  tolerable  expressions.  If  you  find  them  at  a loss,  and 
unable  to  answer  you,  do  not  drive  them  on  too  hard  or  too 
long,  lest  they  should  imagine  that  you  only  intend  to  puzzle 
and  disgrace  them.  When  you  perceive  them  troubled  that 
they  cannot  answer,  take  off  their  burden  by  answering  the 
question  yourself;  and  then  do  it  thoroughly  and  plainly, 
that  they  may  understand  it  before  you  leave  them. 

5.  When  you  have  done  what  you  think  necessary  in  try- 
ing their  knowledge,  proceed  to  instruct  them  further.  This 
must  be  done  according  to  their  several  characters.  If  the 
person  be  a professor,  fall  upon  something  which  you  appre- 
hend he  most  needs ; either  explain  some  doctrine,  or  lay  the 
foundation  of  some  duty  which  you  have  reason  to  think  he 
neglects,  etc.  If  the  person  be  grossly  ignorant,  give  him  a 
plain,  familiar  summary  of  the  Christian  religion  ; for  though 
he  may  have  it  in  the  catechism,  a more  familiar  way  of  dis- 
coursing upon  it,  may  help  him  better  to  understand  it.  If 
you  perceive  he  does  not  understand  you,  go  over  it  again  ; 
then  ask  him  whether  he  does  or  not,  and  endeavor  to  leave 
it  fixed  in  his  memory. 

6.  If  you  suspect  any  to  be  ungodly,  whether  they  be  gross- 
ly ignorant  or  not,  make  a prudent  inquiry  into  their  states. 
The  least  offensive  way  of  doing  it  will  be,  to  take  your  occa- 
sion from  some  article  in  the  catechism,  which  they  have  re- 
peated ; e.  g.  though  I have  no  desire  needlessly  to  pry  in- 
to the  secrets  of  any,  yet,  because  it  is  the  office  of  a minis- 
ter to  give  advice  to  his  people  in  the  matters  of  salvation, 
and  because  it  is  so  dangerous  a thing  to  be  mistaken,  where 
life  or  death  eternal  is  depending,  I would  intreat  you  to  deal 
faithfully,  and  tell  me  whether  you  ever  found  this  great 
change  upon  your  hearts,  whether  you  live  in  tliis  or  that 
sin  or  whether  you  perform  this  or  that  duty  etc. — If  any 
such  person  tells  you  he  hopes  he  is  converted,  show  him,  in 
the  plainest  manner,  what  true  conversion  is;  then  renew 
and  enforce  the  inquiry.  Ask  him  such  questions  as  these  ; 

Can  you  truly  say,  that  all  the  known  sins  of  your  past  life 
are  the  grief  of  your  heart  ? That  you  have  felt  yourself  un- 
done by  them  ? That  you  have  gladly  entertained  the  news 
of  a Saviour,  and  have  cast  your  soul  upon  Christ  alone  for 
salvation  ? Can  you  say  from  your  heart,  that  you  hate  the 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


273 


sins  which  you  formerly  loved,  and  that  you  now  love  that 
holy  life  for  which  once  you  had  no  relish?  Do  you  live  in 
the  practice  of  any  known  sin,  or  in  the  neglect  of  any  known 
duty?  Is  the  main  course  and  bent  of  your  whole  life  to 
please  God,  and  enjoy  him  forever?’’ — Mention  particularly 
some  of  those  duties  which  you  most  suspect  him  to  omit,  and 
ask  him  whether  he  performs  them ; especially  prayer,  in  the 
family,  and  in  secret;  as  also,  how  he  spends  the  Lord’s 
day  ? 

7.  If  you  discern  an  apparent  probability  that  the  person  is 
in  an  unconverted  state,  your  next  business  is  to  labor,  with 
all  your  skill  and  power,  to  bring  his  heart  to  a sense  of  his 
condition.  Address  him  in  some  such  a manner  as  this. — 
“ Truly,  friend,  the  Lord  knows  I have  no  mind  to  make 
your  case  worse  than  it  is,  nor  to  occasion  you  any  unnecessary 
fear  or  trouble  ; but  I suppose  you  would  take  me  for  an  ene- 
my, and  not  a faithful  friend,  if  I should  flatter  you  and  not 
tell  you  the  truth.  I much  fear  that  you  are  yet  a stranger 
to  the  new  and  divine  life.  If  you  were  a Christian  indeed, 
you  would  not  have  lived  in  such  a sin,  etc.  Alas  ! What 
have  you  been  doing  ? How  have  you  spent  your  time,  that 
you  are  so  ignorant,  and  so  unprepared  for  death  if  you  should 
now  be  called  to  it  ? What  if  you  had  died  before  now,  in 
an  unconverted  state?  What  had  become  of  you  and  where 
had  you  now  been  ?”  Here  be  very  earnest ; if  you  get  not 
the  heart,  you  get  nothing.  That  which  does  not  affect,  is 
soon  forgotten. 

Let  this  be  followed  with  a practical  exhortation  concern- 
ing the  nature  and  necessity  of  closing  with  Christ,  and  the 
use  of  every  proper  means,  for  the  time  to  come,  to  avoid 
former  sins.  Speak  to  them  to  this  effect.  “ I am  heartily 
sorry  to  find  you  in  so  sad  a case,  but  should  be  more  so  to 
leave  you  in  it.  Let  me  therefore  entreat  you  for  the  Lord’s 
sake,  and  for  your  own  sake,  to  regard  what  I shall  say  to 
you.  It  is  a great  mercy  that  you  were  not  cut  off  in  your 
natural  state ; that  you  have  yet  life  and  time ; especially, 
that  there  is  a sufficient  remedy  provided  for  you  in  the  blood 
of  Christ.  There  is  yet  a possibility  of  your  being  converted 
and  saved.  Let  me  then  entreat  you,  not  to  rest  in  your  pre- 
sent condition,  since,  if  you  do,  you  must  perish  forever. 
Think  seriously  of  the  vanity  of  the  world,  the  awful  nature 
of  eternity,  and  the  importance  of  religion.  Without  any  de- 
lay, accept  of  the  salvation  offered  in  the  gospel,  and  close 


274 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


with  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  offers  it  to  you.  Resolve 
immediately  against  your  former  sins,  and  be  diligent  in  the 
use  of  all  God’s  appointed  means,  till  the  great  change  of  re- 
generation be  wrought.  Because  you  cannot  effect  this 
change  yourself,  betake  yourself  daily  to  God  in  prayer,  and 
beg  of  him  to  effect  it,  as  well  as  pardon  your  sins.  Avoid 
carefully  all  temptations  to,  and  occasions  of  sin.  Forsake 
your  evil  companions,  and  join  the  company  of  them  that 
fear  God.  Especially  spend  the  Lord’s  day  in  holy  exer- 
cises, both  in  public  and  in  private  ; lose  not  any  time,  but 
especially,  lose  not  the  most  precious  time  which  God  has 
given  you  to  be  instructed  by  him,  and  prepared  for  your 
latter  end.”  Be  sure,  if  you  can,  to  get  a promise  from  such 
persons  that  they  will  attend  to  your  advice.  Ask  it  sol- 
emnly ; reminding  them  of  the  presence  of  God  who  hears 
their  promises  and  will  expect  the  performance. 

8.  Through  the  whole  of  these  exercises,  see  that  your 
manner,  as  well  as  matter,  be  suited  to  the  end.  Make  a 
difference  according  to  the  difference  of  the  persons  you  have 
to  deal  with.  With  the  dull  and  obstinate,  you  must  be  ear- 
nest and  severe ; with  the  tender  and  timorous,  you  must 
mildly  insist  upon  direction  and  confirmation.  With  the 
young,  you  must  represent  the  shame  and  evil  of  sensual 
pleasures,  and  the  necessity  of  mortification  ; with  the  aged, 
you  must  disgrace  the  present  world  ; you  must  represent  the 
nearness  of  their  change,  and  the  aggravations  of  their  sins, 
if  they  live  and  die  impenitent.  With  your  inferiors  you 
may  be  very  free;  with  you  superiors  and  elders  you  must 
speak  with  more  reverence.  To  the  rich,  the  nature  and 
necessity  of  self-denial  must  be  opened ; to  the  poor,  we 
must  show  the  great  riches  of  glory  ” proposed  to  them  in 
the  gospel.  The  evil  and  danger  of  those  sins  must  be  insist- 
ed on,  to  which  each  one’s  age,  or  sex,  or  temperature  of  body 
or  employment  in  the  world,  does  most  incline  them.  Be  as 
condescending,  familiar  and  plain  as  possible  with  those  of 
the  weakest  capacities.  Give  them  the  Scripture  proofs  of 
all  that  you  say,  to  convince  them  that  it  is  not  you  only,  but 
God  by  you,  who  speaks  to  them.  Be  serious  in  all,  but  es- 
pecially in  your  applications.  I scarcely  fear  anything  more 
than  lest  some  careless  ministers  will  hurry  over  this  work 
superficially,  and  destroy  this,  as  they  do  all  other  duties,  by 
turning  it  into  a mere  formality ; proposing  a few  cold  ques- 
tions, and  giving  a few  cold  words  of  advice,  without  any 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


275 


life  and  feeling  in  themselves,  or  any  likelihood  of  producing 
any  feeling  in  the  hearers.  But  surely  he  that  values  souls 
and  knows  what  opportunity  is  before  him,  will  do  it  accord- 
ingly. 

To  this  end,  it  will  be  of  considerable  importance  that 
both  before,  and  in  the  work,  we  take  great  pains  with  our 
own  hearts;  especially  to  strengthen  our  belief  of  the  truth 
of  the  gospel,  and  the  invisible  glory  and  misery  which 
are  to  come.  This  work  will  greatly  try  the  strength 
of  our  faith.  A superficial  Christian  will  feel  his  zeal  quite 
fail  him  (especially  when  the  duty  is  grown  common,)  for 
want  of  a belief  in  the  things  he  is  treating  of,  to  keep  it 
alive.  In  the  pulpit,  from  the  press  and  in  public  acts,  where 
there  is  room  for  ostentation,  the  hypocritical  minister  will 
give  you  his  best ; but  an  affected  fervency  and  hypocritical 
stage-action  will  not  hold  out  long  in  such  duties  as  these ; 
they  are  other  kind  of  men  that  must  effectually  perform 
them.  We  should  endeavor  to  prepare  ourselves  for  this 
business  particularly  by  private  prayer.  And,  if  the  time  will 
permit,  it  will  be  best  to  begin  and  end  these  exercises  I am 
recommending  with  a short  prayer  with  our  people. 

Lastly  ; if  God  has  given  you  ability,  extend  your  charity 
to  the  poorer  sort  before  they  part  from  you,  for  their  relief, 
and  for  the  time  that  is  thus  taken  from  their  labors;  espe- 
cially for  the  encouragement  of  those  that  make  the  best  pro- 
ficiency. 


CHAPTER  V. 

ARGUMENTS  FOR  PERSONAL  INSTRUCTION,  PARTICULARLY  BY 
CATECHISING  IN  THE  MANNER  RECOMMENDED. 

It  must,  indeed,  be  acknowledged  that  the  method  of  in- 
struction which  has  been  proposed,  is  attended  with  many 
difficulties  and  discouragements.  Many  arise  both  from  our 
people,  and  from  ourselves.  There  is  i/i  us  much  dullness 
and  laziness;  so  that  it  will  not  be  easy  to  bring  us  to  be 
faithful  in  so  hard  a work.  We  have  also  a base  man-pleas- 
ing disposition,  which  will  suffer  us  to  let  men  go  quietly  to 
hell,  lest  we  should  lose  their  respect.  We  are  more  ready 
to  venture  on  the  displeasure  of  God,  and  their  everlasting 


276 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


misery,  than  draw  upon  us  their  ill-will ; and  are  so  carnal 
that  we  dare  not  be  faithful  for  fear  of  losing  our  income,  or 
bringing  ourselves  into  difficulties.  Many  of  us  have  a fool- 
ish bashfulness,  which  makes  us  backward  to  begin  this  great 
work.  We  are  so  modest,  forsooth,  that  we  blush  to  speak 
for  Chr^t,  or  contradict  the  devil,  or  attempt  to  save  a soul ; 
while  we  are  less  ashamed  of  more  shameful  works  than 
these.  We  are  commonly  too  unfit  for  this  work  by  reason 
of  our  unskilfulness  ; we  know  not  (as  we  ought)  how  to  deal 
with  an  ignorant  worldling  for  his  salvation,  how  to  get  with- 
in him  and  win  upon  him,  nor  how  to  suit  our  addresses  to 
men’s  several  conditions  and  tempers.  But  the  greatest  im- 
pediment of  all  is,  that  we  ourselves  are  too  weak  in  faith, 
and  feel  too  little  of  the  power  of  religion  upon  our  souls. 
Our  belief  of  divine  truths  and  invisible  things  is  so  feeble, 
that  it  will  hardly  excite  in  us  so  kindly,  resolute  and  con- 
stant a zeal  as  is  necessary  for  this  work. 

Besides  these  difficulties  from  ourselyes,  we  have  too  many 
to  encounter  from  our  'people.  Many  of  them  will  scorn  to 
come  to  us  to  be  taught,  imagining  they  are  too  good  to  be 
catechised,  or  too  old  to  learn.  Many  are  so  dull  that  they 
will  keep  away,  as  ashamed  of  their  ignorance ; or,  if  they 
come,  you  will  find  it  a hard  matter  to  get  them  to  under- 
stand you ; and  yet  more  difficult  to  work  upon  their  hearts, 
so  as  to  produce  a saving  change ; which  is  our  principal 
end,  and  without  which  our  labor  is  almost  lost.  Oh  what  a 
rock  a carnal  heart  is ! How  strongly  will  it  resist  the  most 
powerful  persuasions,  and  with  what  unconcern  will  sinners 
hear  of  everlasting  life  and  death  ! And  even  when  you  have 
made  some  desirable  impressions  upon  them,  if  you  have  not 
a special  care  over  them,  their  hearts  will  soon  return  to  their 
former  hardness,  and  their  old  companions  and  temptations 
will  work  off  all  again. — [These  things  must  be  acknowledged 
to  be  great  discouragements,]  but  in  a necessary  work,  they 
should  excite  us  to  the  greater  diligence.  [That  this  is  a 
necessary  work,  will  appear,  if  we  consider]  the  benefits  to 
be  expected  from,  and  the  obligations  ministers  are  laid  un- 
der to  perform  it. 

1.  Let  us  consider  the  henejits  which  may  reasonably  be 
expected  from  the  method  of  private  instruction  which  has 
been  proposed.  And, 

1.  It  is  attended  with  the  most  excellent  advantage  for  in- 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


277 


forming  the  judgment,  and  changing  the  will  of  the  ignorant 
and  ungodly. 

It  will  tend  greatly  to  inform  the  understanding,  to  have 
the  sum  of  Christianity  in  the  memory.  Though  bare  words 
will  be  of  but  little  advantage,  yet  when  the  words  are  plain 
English,  he  who  has  them  by  rote,  is  much  more  likely  to 
know  the  truths  contained  in  them,  than  another.  Such 
forms  of  sound  words,  (though  some  deride  all  catechisms  as 
unprofitable,)  may  be  of  admirable  use;  especially  as  we 
shall  have  an  opportunity,  by  personal  converse  with  those 
who  have  committed  them  to  memory,  to  try  how  far  they 
understand  them,  to  explain  to  them  what  they  do  not  under- 
stand, and  to  insist  on  those  particulars  which  we  apprehend 
each  person  has  most  need  to  hear. 

[In  some  respects  this  kind  of  instruction  has  the  prefer- 
ence to  preaching,^']  What  other  argument  need  we  for  this 
than  our  own  experience  ? I seldom  deal  with  men  on  this 
great  business  in  private  serious  conference,  but  they  go  away 
with  some  seeming  convictions,  and  promises  of  new  obe- 
dience, and  sometimes  with  a deep  remorse,  and  affecting 
sense  of  their  condition.  Yea,  I have  found,  (and  I doubt 
not  but  you  have  experienced  the  same,)  that  an  ignorant 
sot,  who  for  a long  time  had  been  an  unprofitable  hearer,  has 
got  more  knowledge  and  remorse  of  conscience,  in  half  an 
hour’s  close  conversation,  than  he  did  by  ten  years’  public 
preaching.  I know  that  is  the  most  excellent  means,  be- 
cause we  therein  speak  to  many  at  once ; but  this  private 


^ “ Private,  frequent,  spiritual  conference,  (saith  Dr.  Hammond,) 
between  fellow  Christians,  but  especially  between  the  presbyter  and 
those  of  his  charge,  particularly  in  the  discussion  of  every  man’s  spe- 
cial sins,  infirmities  and  inclinations,  may  prove  very  useful  and  ad- 
vantageous, (in  order  to  spiritual  directions,  reproof  and  comfort,)  to 
the  making  the  man  of  God  perfect.  And  to  tell  the  truth,  if  the 
pride  and  self-conceit  of  some,  the  carelessness  of  others,  the  bashful- 
ness of  a third  sort,  the  nauseating  and  instant  satiety  of  any  good  in 
a fourth,  if  the  follies  of  men  and  artifices  of  Satan,  had  not  put  this 
practice  quite  out  of  fashion  among  us,  there  is  no  doubt  but  more 
good  might  be  done  by  ministers  in  this  way,  than  is  now  done  by 
any  other  means,  even  than  by  that  of  public  preaching,  which  is  now 
almost  solely  depended  upon  ; it  being,  as  Quintilian  saith,  (compar- 
ing public  and  private  instruction  of  youth,)  a more  likely  way  to  fill 
narrow  mouthed  bottles,  (and  such  are  the  most  of  us,)  to  take  them 
single  in  the  hand,  and  pour  water  into  them,  than  to  set  them  alto- 
gether, and  throw  ever  so  much  water  upon  them.” — Dr.  Hammond 
on  the  Power  of  the  Keys.,  Ch.  IV.  § 104. 

24 


278 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


way  of  preaching  is  usually  far  more  effectual,  for  many  rea- 
sons. For  example,  we  have  the  best  opportunity  to  imprint 
religious  truths  upon  the  heart,  when  we  can  speak  to  each 
one’s  particular  necessity,  and  can  say  to  the  sinner,  “thou 
art  the  man;”  when  we  can  mention  his  particular  case,  and 
address  him  in  regard  to  it  with  familiar  importunity.  If  any- 
thing in  the  world  is  likely  to  do  our  people  good,  it  is  this. 
They  will  understand  a familiar  speech,  who  hear  a sermon 
as  if  it  were  nonsense.  Besides,  they  have  far  greater  ad- 
vantage for  the  application  of  it  to  themselves.  By  this 
means,  you  will  hear  their  objections,  and  know  where  Satan 
has  the  most  advantage  over  them,  or  what  it  is  that  resists 
the  truth;  and  so  may  be  the  more  able,  effectually  to  con- 
vince them.  We  can  here  answer  their  objections,  drive 
them  to  a stand,  urge  them  to  discover  their  resolutions  for 
the  future,  and  to  promise  to  use  the  means  for  reformation. 
Again  ; in  private,  we  may  speak  in  a rnucii  plainer  manner 
than  we  can  in  public.  The  plainest  preacher  can  hardly 
speak  plain  enough  in  the  pulpit,  to  make  many  understand. 

1 have  often  been  surprised  to  find  how  grossly  ignorant  ma- 
ny are,  who  have  been  my  hearers  several  years ; who  are  as 
unable  to  answer  some  of  the  plainest  questions  as  if  they  had 
never  heard  the  gospel  in  their  lives.  Now  in  public  we  can- 
^ not  use  such  homely  expressions,  nor  so  many  repetitions  as 
their  dulness  requires  ; but  in  private  we  may.  In  public 
our  speeches  are  long  ; we  quite  over-run  their  understand- 
ings and  their  memories,  so  that  they  are  confounded  and  un- 
able to  follow  us;  one  thing  drives  out  another,  so  that  they 
know  not  what  we  have  been  saying  ; but  in  private  we  may 
take  our  work  gradatim^  and  take  our  hearers  with  us  as  we 
go.  By  their  answers  to  our  questions  we  may  see  how  far 
they  go  with  us,  and  what  we  have  next  to  do.  In  public, 
by  our  length,  and  speaking  alone ^ we  lose  their  attention  ; 
but  when  they  are  interlocutors  we  can  easily  cause  them  to 
attend.  I conclude,  theref  re,  that  public  preaching  alone, 
will  not  be  sufficient,  nor  effectual  for  the  conversion  of  so 
many,  as  this  method.  Long  may  yen  study  and  preach  to 
little  purpose,  if  you  neglect  this  duty. 

2.  This  work  of  private  instructi(  n,  if  well  managed,  will 
be  the  means  of  the  most  orehrltj  building  up  those  that  are 
converted,  and  establishing  them  in  the  faith. 

It  hazards  the  whole  work,  or  at  least  very  much  hinders  • 
it,  when  we  do  it  not  in  a proper  order.  How  can  you  build, 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


279 


if  you  do  not  lay  a good  foundation  ? It  is  owing  to  the  neg- 
lect of  this,  that  there  are  so  many  deluded  novices  in  reli- 
gion; and  that  so  many  are  laboring  in  vain;.‘  still  learning, 
without  coming  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,’  2 Tim,  3:  7 ; 
like  those  that  would  read  before  they  have  learned  the  let- 
ters. This  makes  so  many  fall  away,  or  to  be  ‘ shaken  by 
every  wind  of  doctrine.’  These  fundamentals  are  what  must 
lead  men  to  further  truths;  these  they  must  build  upon; 
these  must  actuate  all  their  graces,  and  animate  all  their  du- 
ties; these  must  fortify  them  against  particular  temptations. 
He  that  knows  these  well,  knows  as  much  as  is  necessary  to 
make  him  happy.  He  that  knows  these  best,  is  the  most  un- 
derstanding Christian.  He  that  knows  not  these,  knows  no- 
thing. The  most  godly  people,  therefore  in  your  congrega- 
tion, will  find  it  worth  their  while  to  be  thus  instructed.  If 
you  would  edify  and  well-establish  them,  be  diligent  in  this 
work. 

3.  This  method  of  private  instruction  will  tend  to  make 
our  preaching  better  understood  and  regarded. 

When  you  have  acquainted  persons  with  the  principles, 
they  wall  more  easily  perceive  what  you  are  aiming  at ; it  will 
prepare  their  minds  and  open  the  way  to  their  hearts  ; where- 
as without  this  you  may  lose  the  most  of  your  labor  ; and  the 
more  pains  you  take  in  accurate  preparations,  the  less  good  * 
you  will  do. 

4.  By  this  means  you  will  become  familiar  with  your  peo- 
ple ; which  is  no  inconsiderable  advantage. 

The  want  of  this  is  a great  impediment  to  the  success  of 
our  labors.  By  distance  and  strangeness,  abundance  of  mis- 
takes between  ministers  and  people  are  occasioned.  Besides, 
familiarity  tends  to  beget  those  aifections  which  may  open 
their  ears  to  further  teaching.  When  we  are  familiar  with 
them,  they  will  be  encouraged  to  us'e  freedom  in  opening 
their  doubts  to  us,  for  our  resolution  of  them  ; but  when  a 
minister  knows  not  his  people,  or  is  as  strange  to  them  as  if 
he  did  not  know  them,  it  ntust  be  a great  hindrance  to  his 
doing  them  any  good.  By  this  familiarity  we  shall  be  better 
acquainted  with  each  person’s  temper  and  spiritual  state,  and 
so  shall  know  better  how  to  watch  over  them,  how  to  preach 
to,  and  discourse  with  them  ; how  to  lament  for,  or  rejoice 
over  them  ; and  how  to  pray  to  God  on  their  behalf  We 
shall  hereby  be  the  better  enabled  to  help  them  against  temp- 
tations, and  prevent  their  falling  into  any  hurtful  errors ; of 


280 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


which  they  are  in  great  danger  while  their  pastors  are  stran- 
gers to  them,  and  seducers  are  very  familiar  with  them. 
Once  more;  this  familiarity  with  our  people  will  better  satis- 
fy us  in  the  administration  of  the  Lord’s  supper;  as  we  shall 
hereby  better  know  who  are  fit,  and  who  are  unfit  for  it. 
Whereas  many  will  question  a minister,  who  examines  his 
people  in  order  to  this  ordinance,  by  what  authority  he  does 
it,  and  will  not  submit  to  such  an  examination,  the  same  work 
will  be  done  in  such  a course  as  this,  in  an  unexceptionable 
manner. 

5.  This  method  of  private  instruction  will  better  inform 
the  people  concerning  the  nature  of  the  ministerial  office,  or 
awaken  them  to  a better  attention  to  it. 

It  is  common  for  men  to  think  that  our  work  is  nothing 
more  than  to  preach  well,  to  baptize,  administer  the  Lord’s 
supper,  and  visit  the  sick  ; they  are  therefore  willing  to  sub- 
mit to  no  more:  and  through  a common  neglect,  ministers 
are  become  such  strangers  to  their  own  calling,  that  they 
think  of  doing  nothing  more.  They  have  hundreds  of  peo- 
ple to  whom  they  never  spoke  a word  personally  for  their  sal- 
vation. Nay,  the  omission  of  personal  instruction  is  grown 
so  frequent,  even  among  pious  and  able  men,  that  the  dis- 
grace of  it  is  abated,  and  a man  may  be  guilty  of  it  without 
any  dishonor  or  observation.  Show  the  world  then,  by  your 
practice,  what  the  nature  of  our  office  is ; and  I hope  that 
you  will  see  the  time,  when  neglect  of  personal  oversight  will 
be  taken  for  as  scandalous  an  omission,  as  preaching  but  one 
part  of  the  day  would  now  be  esteemed.  In  overthrowing 
the  errors  of  Popery,  many  have  run  into  the  contrary  ex- 
treme; lest  they  should  seem  to  favor  auricular  confession, 
they  have  neglected  all  personal  instruction.  I am  past  doubt 
that  the  popish  auricular  confession  is  a sinful  novelty  ; but  I 
must  say,  (though  some  will  think  it  strange,)  that  our  neglect 
of  personal  instruction  is  much  worse.  Let  us,  by  our  prac- 
tice, show  careless  ministers,  as  well  as  our  people,  the  im- 
portance and  necessity  of  this  duty.  Further  ; as  this  course 
will  acquaint  the  people  with  our  duty  towards  them,  it  will 
also  inform  them  of  theirs  towards  us;  and  then  they  will  be 
more  likely  to  discharge  it  better.  This  I mention,  not  for 
our  own  sakes  only,  but  because  their  salvation  is  much  con- 
cerned in  it.  If  they  do  not  know  what  our  office  is,  viz. 
that  it  is  one  great  branch  of  it  to  admonish  and  instruct 
them  in  regard  to  their  particular  cases,  it  is  no  wonder  if 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


281 


they  neglect  to  apply  to  us  for  our  help,  to  their  own  preju- 
dice. The  matter  is  now  come  lo  this  pass,  that  if  we  ex- 
hort them  to  come  for  instruction,  or  begin  to  discourse  with 
them  about  their  souls,  tliey  question  our  authority,  and  look 
upon  us  as  proud,  pragmatical  persons,  who  would  bear  rule 
over  their  consciences.  They  do  in  general  discover  no 
more  wisdom  nor  gratitude,  than  if  they  were  to  quarrel  with 
a person  for  quenching  the  fire  when  their  houses  were  burn- 
ing ; or  if,  when  one  offered  to  save  them  from  drowning, 
they  should  ask  him  by  what  authority  he  did  it.  And  what 
is  it  that  has  brought  our‘  people  to  this  ignorance  of  their 
duty,  but  our  neglect  of  ours  ? Where  it  is  the  custom,  (as 
among  the  papists,)  they  are  willing  to  confess  all  their  sins 
to  the  priest;  but  among  us  they  disdain  to  be  questioned  or 
instructed,  because  it  is  not  the  custom.  Let  us  then  by  our 
diligence  in  this  w^ork,  endeavor  to  make  it  become  a com- 
mon thing ; and  thus  we  shall  facilitate  the  ministerial  ser- 
vice to  the  next  generation.  If  we  can  but  establish  this 
custom,  our  successors  in  the  ministry  will  reap  the  fruit  of 
our  labors,  as  their  work  will  be  easier  to  them ; and  thus  we 
may  be  the  means  of  saving  many  souls  in  ages  to  come,  as 
well  as  in  the  present.^ 

6.  Another  considerable  benefit  attending  private  instruc- 
tion, (especially  by  catechisms,)  is,  that  it  will  keep  our  people 
from  much  of  that  vanity,  which  now  possesses  their  minds 
and  takes  up  their  time. 

When  workmen  are  employed  in  their  shops,  almost  all 
their  talk  is  vanity;  and  children  are  apt  to  learn  foolish 
songs  and  idle  stories,  and  thus  furnish  their  minds  with  filth 
and  rubbish,  which  occasions  them  to  lose  much  time,  and  to 
be  guilty  of  many  idle  thoughts  and  w^ords.  Now  when  they 
have  a catechism  to  learn,  and  know  that  they  must  give  an 
account  of  it,  much  of  their  time  and  thoughts  wull  be  better 
employed.  It  w'ill  particularly  find  them,  and  heads  of  fam- 
ilies, profitable  employment  for  the  Lord’s  day. 

7.  As  the  method  of  instruction  I am  recommending  is,  by 
supposition,  very  extensive,  we  have  reason  to  expect  the 
most  extensive  benefits  from  it. 


^ “ Perhaps  you  who  find  a people  rude  and  ignorant,  (like  stones 
in  the  quarry,  or  trees  unhewn,)  may  not  bring  the  work  to  such  per- 
fection in  your  days  as  you  desire.  Yet  as  David  did  for  Solomon, 
3mu  may,  by  your  pains  in  teaching  and  instructing,  prepare  materi- 
als for  another  who  shall  rear  the  temple.” — Gurnal,  ubi  supra. 


282 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


It  has  a more  excellent  design,  (and  therefore  we  may  hope 
it  will  have  more  important  effects,)  than  our  accidental  con- 
ferences with  here  and  there  a particular  person.  In  such 
occasional  discourses,  I observe  ministers  satisfy  themselves 
to  have  spoken  some  few  good  words,  but  seldom  set  them- 
selves, in  so  plain  and  close  a manner,  to  convince  men  of 
their  sin  and  misery,  and  their  need  of  mercy,  as  in  this  pur- 
posely appointed  work,  we  shall  have  an  opportunity  of  doing. 

In  short,  so  weighty  and  excellent  is  this  duty,  that  the 
chief  part  of  church  reformation  is  behind  without  it,  and 
consists  in  it.  We  are  apt  to  look  upon  a reformation  as 
what  is  to  be  wrought  immediately  by  God,  without  consider- 
ing, that  it  is  to  be  effected  by  our  means  ; but  this  we  have 
no  warrant  to  do.  In  order  to  such  a reformation,  we  must 
use  our  unwearied  endeavors,  and  particularly  must  be  dili- 
gent in  catechising  and  personal  instruction  ; for  this  is  likely 
to  do  more  towards  effecting  such  a reformation  as  we  have 
long  prayed  and  hoped  for,  than  every  other  means  without 
it.  Brethren,  all  that  our  forefathers  have  been  doing  for  the 
good  of  the  church,  and  for  a true  reformation,  for  so  many 
years,  was  but  to  prepare  the  way  for  you  to  come  in  and  do 
the  work  which  they  desired.  They  have  opened  you  the 
door,  and  at  a great  expense  of  labors  and  sufferings,  have 
removed  many  of  your  impediments  ; and  will  you  now  stand 
still  or  loiter?  God  forbid!  Have  they  spent  so  much  time 
in  fencing  the  vineyard,  in  weeding  and  pruning  it,  to  make 
it  ready  for  your  hands,  and  will  you  now  fail,  who  are  sent 
to  gather  in  the  vintage?  In  the  name  of  God,  take  heed 
that  you  do  not  frustrate  their  labors,  their  prayers  and  their 
hopes  1 To  what  has  been  said,  let  me  add, 

8.  The  diligent  prosecution  of  this  work  will  do  some  good 
to  ministers  themselves. 

It  will  be  the  best  cure  for  their  idleness  and  loss  of  time, 
in  unnecessary  discourses,  journies  or  other  recreations,  and 
at  the  same  time,  will  cut  off  that  scandal  which  attends  them. 
Besides,  it  will  tend  to  subdue  our  own  corruptions,  to  in- 
crease our  own  graces,  and  consequently  to  procure  much 
peace  to  our  own  consciences,  and  much  comfort  when  our 
time  and  actions  come  to  be  reviewed.  This  constant  em- 
ployment of  our  minds  and  tongues  against  sin,  and  in  the 
cause  of  Christ  and  holiness,  will  do  much  more  towards 
habituating  us  to  overcome  our  carnal  inclinations,  than  all 
the  austerities  of  monks  and  hermits,  who  addict  themselves 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


283 


to  unprofitable  solitude,  and  ‘ hide  their  master’s  talents.’ 
Not  to  mention  what  an  excellent  means  this  will  be,  to  take 
us  (as  well  as  our  people)  from  vain  controversies,  and  dis- 
courses upon  lesser  matters  of  religion,  and  thus  to  cure 
those  unhappy  contentions  which  too  often  prevail  among 
ourselves. 

Having  thus  considered  the  advantages  that  attend  person- 
al instruction,  particularly  catechising,  I shall  now 

11.  Point  out  the  obligations  ministers  are  under  to  the 
practice  of  it. 

1.  The  necessity  of  this  duty  may  be  argued  from  the  re- 
gard you  owe  to  the  glory  of  God,  in  the  fuller  success  of  the 
gospel. 

God  is  most  honored  and  pleased  when  most  souls  are  sav- 
ed ; for  he  hath  sworn  that  ‘ he  hath  no  pleasure  in  the  death 
of  a sinner,  but  had  rather  that  he  return  and  live,’  Ezek. 
18  : 23,  32.  33  : 11.  How  gladly  then  should  you  take  this 
course  which  will  most  effectually  promote  this  end ! O 
brethren ! if  we  could  generally  set  this  work  on  foot  in  all 
the  parishes  of  England,  and  prosecute  it  skilfully  and  zeal- 
ously, what  a glory  would  it  put  upon  the  face  of  the  nation, 
and  what  honor  would  redound  to  God  thereby  ! If  our  com- 
mon ignorance  were  thus  banished,  and  our  vanity  and  idle- 
ness turned  into  the  study  of  the  way  of  life,  and  every  family 
employed  in  learning  catechisms,  and  speaking  of  the  word 
and  works  of  God,  what  pleasure  would  God  take  in  our  cities 
and  countries ! He  would  dwell  in  our  habitations  and  make 
them  his  delight.  If  we  increase  the  number  or  strength  of 
the  saints,  we  thereby  increase  the  honor  of  the  king  of  saints ; 
Christ  will  be  honored  in  the  fruits  of  his  bloodshed.  And 
the  Spirit  of  grace  will  also  be  glorified  m the  fruit  of  his 
operations.  And  do  not  these  ends  require  us  to  use  the 
means  with  diligence  ? 

2.  I may  urge  this  duty,  from  the  general  obligation  we  are 
nil  under  to  do  good,  and  from  the  regards  we  owe  to  the  wel- 
fare of  our  people. 

Every  Christian  is  obliged  to  do  all  the  good  he  can,  for 
the  salvation  of  others;  but  every  minister  is  doubly  obliged, 
because  he  is  ^ separated  to  the  gospel’  of  Christ,  and  is  to 
‘ give  himself  up  wholly’  to  that  work.  Rom.  1:  1.  1 Tim.  4: 
15.  It  is  needless  to  make  any  further  question  about  our 
obligation,  when  we  know  in  general  that  we  are  obliged  to 
do  all  that  is  necessary  for  the  conversion  and  salvation  of 


284 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


our  people,  and  that  this  work  (as  has  been  already  shown) 
is  needful  to  these  ends.  Of  these  surely  we  cannot  doubt; 
let  us  not,  then,  any  longer  neglect  so  reasonable  and  neces- 
sary a duty.  If  the  saving  of  souls,  of  your  neighbor's  souls, 
of  many  souls  from  everlasting  misery,  be  worth  your  labor, 
up,  and  be  doing  ! If  you  would  be  the  fathers  of  many  new 
born  unto  God,  if  you  would  ‘ see  the  travail  of  your  souls’ 
with  comfort,  and  be  able  to  say  at  last,  “ Here  am  I and  the 
children  that  thou  hast  given  me,”  be  diligent  in  this  blessed 
work.  If  it  would  rejoice  you  to  present  your  converts 
‘ blameless  and  spotless  to  Christ,’  and  to  see  them  among  the 
saints  in  glory,  praising  the  Lamb  before  his  throne,  be  glad 
of  this  singular  opportunity  that  is  offered  you.  ‘ What  is 
your  hope  and  joy  and  crown  of  rejoicing  V Are  not  your 
saved  people  ‘ in  the  presence  of  Christ  Jesus  at  his  coming? 
Yea,  doubtless  they  are  your  glory  and  your  joy I Thess.  2 : 
19,  20.)  If  you  are  the  ministers  of  Christ  indeed,  you  will 
long  for  ^ the  perfecting  of  his  body,  and  the  gathering  in  of 
his  elect.’  Your  hearts  will  be  set  upon  it,  and  you  will 
travail  as  in  birth  for  them  till  Christ  be  formed  in  them, 
Gal.  4:  19,  and  will  take  all  opportunities  [that  are  likely  to 
promote  this  great  end]  as  the  sunshine  days  in  a rainy  har- 
vest, in  which  it  is  unreasonable  and  inexcusable  to  be  idle. 
Nay,  if  you  have  but  a spark  of  Christian  compassion  in  you, 
it  will  appear  worth  your  utmost  labor  to  ‘ save  souls  from 
death  and  to  cover  a multitude  of  sins.’  O remember  when 
you  are  talking  with  the  unconverted,  that  there  is  an  oppor- 
tunity in  your  hands  to  save  a soul  ! to  ‘ rejoice  the  angels  in 
heaven !’  to  rejoice  Christ  himself!  and  to  increase  the 
family  of  God  1 There  is  not  a sinner  whose  case  you  should 
not  so  far  compassionate,  as  to  be  willing  to  relieve  him  at  a 
much  dearer  rate  than  [by  the  labor  I have  been  recommend- 
ing.] Can  you  see  sinners  as  the  wounded  man  by  the  way, 
and  unmercifully  pass  by?  Can  you  hear  them  cry  to  you  as 
the  man  of  Macedonia  to  Paul  in  his  vision,  ‘‘  Come  and  help 
us,”  and  yet  refuse  your  help  ? Are  you  intrusted  with  a hos- 
pital, where  one  languishes,  and  another  groans,  crying  out 
Oh  help  me  1 pity  me  for  the  Lord’s  sake .1”  and  where  a 
third  is  raging  mad,  and  would  destroy  himself  and  you,  and 
yet  will  you  still  sit  idle?  If  it  is  said  of  him  that  relieveth 
not  men’s  bodies,  how  much  more  may  it  be  said  of  them 
that  relieve  not  men’s  souls,  ‘ If  you  see  your  brother  have 
need  and  shut  up  the  bowels  of  your  compassion  from  him, 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


285 


how  dwelletli  the  love  of  God  in  you  V 1 John,  3 : 17.  You 
are  not  such  hard-hearted  men,  such  monsters,  but  you  will 
pity  the  naked,  the  imprisoned,  or  those  that  are  tormented 
with  grievous  pain  or  sickness ; and  will  you  not  pity  a hard- 
hearted sinner,  who  must  be  excluded  the  presence  of  the 
Lord,  (if  a thorough,  speedy  repentance  prevent  it  not,)  and 
lie  under  his  remediless  wrath  1 What  shall  I call  the  heart 
of  that  man  who  will  not  pity  such  a one?  The  heart  of  an 
infidel  ! a heart  of  stone ! a very  rock  or  adamant ! Surely  if 
he  believed  the  misery  of  the  impenitent,  it  would  be  im- 
possible for  him  not  to  pity  them.  Can  you  tell  men  in  the 
pulpit,  that  they  shall  certainly  be  damned  except  they  re- 
pent, and  yet  have  no  pity  on  them  when  you  have  so  pro- 
claimed their  danger?  And  if  you  do  pity  them,  will  you 
not  do  thus  much  for  their  salvation  ? What  if  you  heard 
sinners  cry  after  you  in  the  streets — O Sir  ! have  pity  on 
me,  and  afford  me  your  advice  ! I am  afraid  of  the  everlasting 
wrath  of  God  ! I know  I must  shortly  leave  this  world,  and  I 
fear,  lest  I shall  be  miserable  in  the  next !”  What  if  they 
came  to  your  study  door  and  cried  “ Oh  pity  us  ! Oh  help  us, 
lest  we  should  be  tormented  in  the  flames  of  hell,” — and 
would  not  leave  you  till  you  had  told  them  how  to  escape  the 
wrath  of  God,  could  you  find  in  your  hearts  to  drive  them 
away  without  advice?  I am  confident  you  could  not.  Why 
such  persons,  alas  ! who  do  not  thus  cry  for  help,  are  the 
most  miserable.  The  hardened  sinner,  who  cares  least  for 
your  advice,  needs  it  most.  He  that  has  not  so  much  life  as 
to  feel  that  he  is  dead,  nor  so  much  light  as  to  see  his  dan- 
ger, nor  so  much  sense  as  to  pity  himself,  this  is  the  man  that 
is  most  to  be  pitied.  O how  can  you  walk  and  talk  and  be 
merry  with  such  people,  when  you  know  their  case  ? Me- 
thinks  when  you  look  them  in  the  face,  and  think  of  their  fu- 
ture misery,  you  should  break  forth  into  tears  (as  the  prophet 
did  when  he  looked  upon  Hazael,)  and  then  fall  on  with  the 
most  importunate  exhortations ! When  you  come  to  visit 
them  in  their  last  sickness,  will  it  not  wound  your  hearts  to 
see  them  ready  to  depart  into  misery,  without  your  having 
ever  dealt  seriously  with  them  for  their  recovery  ? O then, 
for  the  Lord’s  sake,  and  for  the  sake  of  such  poor  souls,  have 
pity  on  them  ! Bestir  yourselves,  and  spare  no  pains  that  may 
conduce  to  their  salvation  ! 

3.  Our  obligations  to  this  kind  of  instruction  may  be  made 
to  appear  both  from  scripture  examples  and  precepts. 


286 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


We  have  Christ’s  own  example,  who  used  this  interlocu- 
tory preaching  both  to  his  disciples  and  to  the  Jews ; and  we 
have  the  examples  of  the  apostles,  who  did  the  like.  Indeed 
this  was  their  ordinary  way  of  preaching ; and  when  they 
made  a speech  of  any  length,  the  people  and  they  discoursed 
it  out  in  the  conclusion. 

Thus  Peter  preached  to  the  Jews,  Acts  ii ; and  to  Cor- 
nelius and  his  friends.  Acts  x.  Thus  Philip  preached  to  the 
Eunuch,  Acts  ix ; and  thus  Paul  preached  to  the  jailor.  Acts 
xvi.  Thus  as  he  tells  us,  Gal.  2 : 2,  he  ‘ preached  privately  to 
those  of  reputation,  lest  he  should  have  run  and'  labored  in 
vain.’  That  earnest  charge  of  his  to  Timothy,  no  doubt,  in- 
cludes it ; ‘ I charge  thee  therefore  before  God  and  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  etc.  preach  the  word,  be  instant  in  season,  and 
out  of  season,  reprove,  rebuke,  exhort  with  all  long  suffering 
and  doctrine ;’  2 Tim.  4:1,2.  [Some  other  passages  to  the 
present  purpose  were  quoted  in  a former  chapter.  It  would 
be  needless  tediousness  to  recite  any  more  to  those  who  know 
them  so  well.]  But  I must  further  tell  you, 

4.  This  ministerial  fidelity  is  necessary  to  your  own  wel- 
fare, as  well  as  your  people’s. 

You  can  no  more  be  saved  without  that  fidelity  which  be- 
longs to  you  as  ministers,  than  your  people  can  without  that 
which  belongs  to  them  as  Christians.  If  you  care  not  for 
others,  at  least  care  for  yourselves.  Oh ! what  a dreadful 
thing  is  it  to  answer  for  the  neglect  of  such  a charge  as 
ours!  What  sin  more  heinous  than  the  betraying  of  souls  I 
That  threatening  (to  which  we  have  so  often  referred)  is 
enough  surely  to  make  us  tremble ; ‘ If  thou  warn  not  the 
wicked,’  etc.  their  ‘ blood  will  I require  at  thy  hands.’  I am 
afraid,  nay,  I am  past  doubt,  that  the  day  is  near,  when  un- 
faithful ministers  will  wish  they  had  never  known  their 
charge ; but  that  they  had  been  employed  in  the  meanest 
occupations,  instead  of  being  pastors  of  Christ’s  flock  ; when 
besides  all  the  rest  of  their  sins,  they  shall  have  the  blood  of 
so  many  souls  to  answer  for.  Oh  brethren  1 our  death,  as 
well  as  our  people’s,  is  near  at  hand  ; and  certainly  death  is 
as  terrible  to  an  unfaithful  pastor  as  to  any.  When  we  see 
that  we  must  die,  and  there  is  no  remedy  ; that  no  wit,  nor 
learning,  nor  popular  applause,  can  avert  the  stroke  or  delay 
the  time;  but  that,  whether  willing  or  unwilling,  our  souls 
must  be  gone  into  that  world  we  never  saw,  where  our  per- 
sons, and  worldly  circumstances  will  not  be  respected,— Oh  ! 


i 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


287 


then  for  a clear  conscience,  that  can  say,  I have  not  lived  to 
myself,  but  to  Christ ; I spared  not  my  pains  ; I ‘ hid  not  my 
talent;’  I concealed  not  men’s  misery,  nor  the  way  of  their 
recovery ; ‘ I have  fought  a good  fight,  I have  finished  my 
course,  I have  kept  the  faith,  and  henceforth  there  is  laid  up 
for  me  a crown  of  righteousness  !’  ” 2 Tim.  4:  7.  Let  us  be 
diligent  in  doing  good  to  others  and  to  ourselves;  that  we 
may  end  our  days  with  this  glorious  triumph.  Let  us  take 
time,  while  we  may  have  it ; and  work  while  it  is  day,  ‘ for 
the  night  cometh  wherein  no  man  can  work.’  If  you  would 
prepare  for  a comfortable  death,  and  a glorious  reward,  ^ gird 
up  the  loins  of  your  minds,  and  quit  yourselves  like  men.’  If 
you  would  be  ‘ blessed  with  those  that  die  ‘in  the  Lord,’  labor 
now,  that  you  may  ‘ rest  from  your  labors’  then,  and  do  such 
‘ works’  as  you  would  wish  to  ‘ follow  you.’ 


CHAPTER  VI. 

OF  CHURCH  DISCIPLINE.! 

The  next  part  of  our  oversight  is  the  use  of  church  dis- 
cipline. This  consists  (after  private  reproofs,  which  were 
considered  above,  Ch.  11.)  of  the  following  particulars;  pub- 
licly reproving  offenders,  exhorting  them  to  repentance, 
praying  for  them,  restoring  the  penitent,  and  excluding  the 
impenitent. 

1.  The  first  part  of  church  discipline  to  be  considered,  is 
public  reproof. 

In  order  to  conduct  this  in  the  most  useful  manner,  these 
things  must  be  observed. 


' N.  B.  The  author,  in  treating  this  subject,  goes  on  the  supposi- 
tion that  discipline  is  to  be  extended  to  all  that  are  in  what  he  calls 
a church-state  ; i.  e.  not  only  those  who  are  admitted  to  the  Lord’s 
table,  but  those  who  have  acknowledged  their  relation  to  the  pastor 
as  his  charge,  by  giving  him  their  names,  after  having  regularly 
“passed  from  an  infant  to  an  adult  state,  by  confirmation;”  the  na- 
ture and  the  grounds  of  which  rite  he  has  considered  at  large,  in  a 
treatise  called  “ Confirmation  and  Restoration.”  However,  in  this 
abridgement,  what  was  peculiar  to  the  author’s  idea  of  a church  is 
generally  omitted,  and  this  chapter  is,  for  the  most  part,  accommo- 
dated to  any  mode  of  government  which  Christian  churches  have 
commonly  adopted. 


288 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


1.  The  accusations  of  none  (not  even  the  best  in  the 
church),  should  be  taken  without  proof. 

A minister  should  never  make  himself  a party,  before  he 
has  sufficient  evidence  of  the  case.  It  is  better  to  let  many 
vicious  persons  go  unpunished  and  without  censure,  when 
we  want  full  evidence  against  them,  than  to  censure  one  un- 
justly; which  we  may  easily  do  if  we  go  upon  bold  presump- 
tions alone : and  that  will  bring  upon  a pastor  the  scandal  of 
partiality  and  unrighteous  dealing,  which  will  make  his  re- 
proofs and  censures  become  contemptible. 

2.  Let  there  be  therefore  a private  meeting  of  chosen  per- 
sons, (the  officers,  and  some  delegates  of  the  church  on  their 
behalf^)  to  have  tlie  hearing  of  all  such  cases,  before  they  are 
made  public.  They  may  meet  together  once  a month,  at  some 
certain  place,  that  [among  other  ends]  they  may  be  ready  to 
receive  what  charge  shall  be  brought  against  any  member  of 
the  church  ; that  it  maybe  considered  whether  it  be  just, 
and  that  the  offender  may  be  dealt  with  there  first.  If  the 
fault  be  not  of  a public  heinous  nature,  and  the  party  shall 
there  profess  repentance,  that  may  suffice.  But  if  it  be  other- 
wise, and  the  person  remain  impenitent,  he  must  ‘ be  reprov- 
ed before  all.’ 

3.  Great  caution  and  much  prudence  must  be  exercised  in 
such  proceedings  as  these,  lest  we  do  more  harm  than  good. 
But  let  it  be  such  Christian  prudence  as  orders  duties  aright, 
and  directs  them  to  their  proper  ends,  and  not  such  carnal 
prudence  as  shall  enervate  or  exclude  them.  It  may  there- 
fore be  proper  for  young  ministers  to  consult  with  others, 
for  the  more  cautious  proceeding  in  such  work. 

In  the  performance  of  it,  we  should  always  deal  humbly, 
even  when  we  deal  most  sharply  ; that  we  may  make  it  appear 
it  is  not  from  any  lordly  disposition,  nor  an  act  of  revenge,  but 
a necessary  duty,  which  we  cannot  in  conscience  avoid.  It 
will  therefore  be  proper  publicly  to  disclaim  all  animosities, 
and  show  the  people  the  commands  of  God  obliging  us  to 
what  we  do. 

II.  With  the  duty  of  public  reproof,  must  be  joined  an 
exhortation  of  the  person  to  repentance,  and  to  a public  pro- 
fession of  it  for  the  satisfaction  of  the  church. 

As  the  church  is  bound  to  avoid  communion  with  scanda- 
lous, impenitent  sinners,  so  when  they  have  had  evidence  of 
their  sin,  they  must  also  see  some  evidence  of  their  repen- 
tance ; for  we  cannot  know  them  to  be  penitent  without  evi- 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


289 


dence.  And  what  evidence  is  the  church  capable  of,  but 
their  profession  of  repentance  first,  and  their  actual  reforma- 
tion afterwards.  Both  which  must  be  expected  and  demand- 
ed of  them.  Both  in  our  public  reproofs  and  exhortations  we 
should  be  very  cautious  of  giving  offence ; in  order  to  avoid 
which  we  should  proceed  in  some  such  manner  as  this : 

“ Friends  and  brethren,  sin  is  so  evil  and  dangerous  a 
thing,  that  God  has  commanded  us  to  ‘ exhort  one  another 
daily,  lest  any  be  hardened  through  the  deceitfulness  of  it,’ 
Heb.  3:  13,  and  that  we  do  not  ‘ hate  our  brother  in  our 
heart,  but  in  any  wise  rebuke  our  neighbor  and  not  suffer  sin> 
upon  him,’  Lev.  19:  17.  Our  Lord  exhorts  us,  ‘ if  our 
brother  offend  us,  to  tell  him  of  his  fault,  and  if  he  will  not 
hear  us,  to  take  two  or  three  persons  with  us  to  reprove  him  ; 
and  if  he  will  not  hear  them,  to  tell  the  church,  to  esteem 
him  as  a heathen  or  publican,’  Matt.  18:  15 — 17.  ‘ Those 

that  sin,’  we  are  commanded  to  ‘ rebuke  before  all,  that 
others  also  may  fear,’  1 Tim.  5:  20  ; and  ‘ if  they  repent  not,, 
to  avoid  them,  and  not  so  much  as  eat  with  them,’  2 Thess. 
3:  6, 12,  14.  1 Cor.  5:  11,  13.  Accordingly,  having  heard 
of  the  scandalous  practice  of  N of  this  church,  and  hav- 

ing received  sufficient  proof  that  he  hath  committed  the 
odious  sin  of  ***,  we  have  seriously  dealt  with  him  in  private 
to  bring  him  to  repentance ; but  to  the  grief  of  our  hearts,, 
perceive  that  he  still  remains  impenitent,  (or  lives  in  the 
same  sin).  We  therefore  judge  it  our  necessary  duty  to 
use  this  further  remedy  which  Christ  hath  commanded  us  to 
try.  And  I do  earnestly  beseech  him  for  the  sake  of  his  own 
soul,  and  require  it  of  him,  as  a messenger  of  Jesus  Christ, 
(as  he  will  answer  the  contrary  at  the  bar  of  God,)  to  remain 
no  longer  stout  and  impenitent,  but  unfeignedly  to  confess 
and  lament  his  sin  before  God  and  this  congregation.  This 
desire  I here  publish,  not  out  of  any  ill  will  to  his  person  (a& 
the  Lord  knows),  but  in  obedience  to  Christ,  and  in  love  to 
his  soul,  wishing  that,  if  possible,  he  may  be  saved  from  his: 
sin,  from  the  power  of  Satan  and  the  everlasting  wrath  of 
God;  and  that  he  may  be  speedily  reconciled  to  him,  and 
his  church.”  To  this  purpose  should  our  public  admonition 
proceed;  and  in  some  cases,  where  the  sinner  esteems  his 
sin  to  be  small,  it  will  be  necessary  to  set  it  in  its  proper 
light,  and  especially  to  quote  some  texts  of  Scripture  v/hich 
aggravate  and  threaten  it. 


25 


290 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


III.  To  our  reproofs  and  exhortations  may  properly  be 
added  the  prayers  of  the  church. 

We  should  pray  both  for  those  that  have  been  reproved, 
and  those  (vsome  of  them  at  least)  that  have  been  rejected, 
that  they  may  repent  and  be  restored.  We  are  commanded 
‘ to  pray  always,  and  in  all  things ; for  all  men,  and  in  all 
places so  great  a business  as  this,  therefore,  should  not  be 
done  without  it.  We  should  earnestly  join  together  in  prayer 
to  God,  that  he  would  open  the  sinner’s  eyes,  that  he  would 
soften  his  heart,  and  save  him  from  impenitency  and  eternal 
death.  That  we  have  not  his  request  or  consent,  is  no  rea- 
son against  it ; for  that  is  his  very  disease,  and  the  malignity 
of  it.  If  the  person  even  refuses  to  be  present  to  receive  our 
admonition,  it  will  be  proper  to  desire  the  prayers  of  the  con- 
gregation for  him.  And  let  us  be  very  earnest  in  praying 
for  him,  that  the  congregation  may  be  provoked  to  join  with 
us.  Who  knows  but  God  may  hear  such  prayers,  and  that 
they  may  be  more  effectual  than  our  exhortations?  How- 
ever, the  people  will  thereby  perceive  that  we  do  not  make 
light  of  sin,  and  that  we  do  not  preach  to  them  in  mere  cus- 
tom or  form.  When  the  sinner  is  thus  admonished  and 
prayed  for,  if  it  please  the  Lord  to  open  his  eyes  and  give 
him  repentance,  our  next  duty  is, 

IV.  To  proceed  for  his  full  recovery ; where  these  things 
roust  be  observed. 

We  must  not  discourage  him  by  too  much  severity ; nor 
yet  by  too  much  haste  and  lenity,  palliate  the  offence  and 
sink  the  ideas  of  discipline.  We  must  urge  him  to  be  serious 
in  his  humiliation,  till  he  be  truly  sensible  of  his  sin ; for  it 
is  not  a vain  formality  that  we  are  to  expect,  but  the  recover- 
ing and  saving  of  the  soul.  We  should  bring  him  to  beg  the 
communion  and  prayers  of  the  church,  and  to  promise  that 
he  will  most  carefully  avoid  the  sin  into  which  he  has  fallen, 
for  the  time  to  come.  After  this  we  must  assure  him  of  the 
riches  of  God’s  love,  and  the  sufficiency  of  Christ’s  blood,  to 
pardon  his  sin ; and  that,  if  his  repentance  be  sincere,  we 
are  authorized  as  the  messengers  of  the  Lord,  to  assure  him 
that  he  is  pardoned.  We  should  then  charge  him  to  perse- 
vere, and  perform  his  promises ; to  avoid  temptations,  and 
continue  begging  mercy  and  strengthening  grace.  Here- 
upon we  should  charge  the  church,  that  they  imitate  Christ 
in  forgiving,  and  that  they  retain  the  person  in  (or  receive 
him  again  into)  communion ; that  they  never  reproach  him 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


291 


with  his  sin,  but  forgive  and  forget  as  Christ  does.  We 
have  no  warrant  to  rip  up  matters  that  are  worn  out  of 
memory,  or  to  make  that  public  again,  which  has  ceased  to 
be  so.  After  this  we  should  give  God  thanks  for  his  recove- 
ry so  far,  and  pray  for  his  confirmation  and  future  preserva- 
tion.— The  next  part  of  discipline  is 

V.  Rejecting  from  the  church’s  communion  those  who, 
after  sufficient  trial,  remain  impenitent. 

Exclusion  from  church  communion  is  of  divers  kinds  and 
degrees,  of  which,  I shall  not  so  far  digress,  as  here  to  treat. 
That  which  is  most  commonly  to  be  practised  among  us,  is 
only  to  forbid  an  offender  communion  with  us,  or  to  inflict  a 
temporal  exclusion,  called  suspension,  till  it  shall  please  the 
Lord  to  give  him  repentance,  [or  till  he  shall  discover  very 
evident  marks  of  impenitence.]  We  have,  indeed,  no  ex- 
press directions  in  Scripture  how  long  we  should  stay  to  try 
whether  the  sinner  be  so  impenitent  as  to  be  necessarily  and 
entirely  excluded;  we  must  therefore  follow  the  general  di- 
rections, with  such  diversity  as  the  case  and  character  of  the 
person,  and  former  proceeding  shall  require  ; this  being  left 
to  the  discretion  of  the  church,  who  must  always  continue  to 
pray  for,  and  exercise  patience  towards  the  offender,  till  he 
manifest  himself  obstinate  in  his  sin.  Where  a person  has 
openly  sinned  but  once  or  twice,  a profession  of  repentance 
may  suffice ; but  if  he  be  accustomed  to  sin,  and  has  often 
broken  his  promises  of  amendment,  then  we  must  require  an 
actual  reformation.  He  that  will  refuse  either  to  reform,  or 
to  make  a profession  of  repentance,  must  be  considered  as 
living  in  the  sin;  for  a heinous  sin,  but  once  committed,  is 
morally  continued  in  till  it  be  repented  of ; and  a mere  for- 
bearing of  the  act  is  not  sufficient.  [If  the  church,  after  hav- 
ing waited  a proper  time,  cannot  discern  in  the  person  any 
signs  of  genuine  repentance,]  they  must  then  proceed  to  ex- 
communication.  The  minister  must  pronounce  him  un- 
worthy of  communion,  and  authoritatively  charge  the  people 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  to  avoid  communion  with  such  a 
person ; and  must  deny  him  those  ordinances  and  privileges 
which  do  not  belong  to  him,  whereof  he  is  the  administrator. 
And  as  far  as  this  act  of  the  pastor  is  not  contrary  to  the 
word  of  God,  the  people  are  In  duty  bound  to  fall  in  with  it. 
However,  it  will  be  proper  to  pray  for  the  repentance  and 
restoration  even  of  the  excommunicate  ; and,  if  God  should 
give  them  repentance,  they  are  gladly  to  be  received  into  the 


292 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


communion  of  the  church  again.  So  much  for  the  nature  of 
church  discipline ; and  sure  I am,  if  well  understood,  much 
of  the  pastoral  work  and  authority  consists  in  it. 

There  are  many,  I know,  who  would  set  open  the  doors 
of  the  church,  would  pluck  up  the  hedge,  and  lay  the  vine- 
yard common  to  the  wilderness.  Nay,  (which  is  very  amaz- 
ing,) some  who  are  esteemed  godly  divines,  reproach  as  a 
sect,  those  faithful  pastors  who  will  not  give  the  sacrament 
to  all  the  parish,  and  who  maintain  discipline  in  their 
churches,  under  the  name  of  Sacramentarians  and  Discipli- 
narians; as  the  impure  used  to  reproach  the  diligent  by  the 
name  of  Puritans.  [But  surely  their  censures  are  very  ill 
grounded.]  Was  not  Christ  himself  the  leader  of  these 
Disciplinarians  ? He  instituted  discipline,  and  commanded 
the  particular  acts  of  it.  ‘‘If  thy  brother,’’  says  he,  “shall 
trespass  against  thee,  go  and  tell  him  his  fault ; if  he  will  not 
hear  thee,  then  take  with  thee  two  or  three  more,  that  in 
the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses  every  word  may  be  es- 
tablished : but  if  he  neglect  to  hear  them,  tell  it  to  the 
church ; but  if  he  neglect  to  hear  the  church,  let  him  be 
unto  thee  as  a heathen  man  and  a publican.”  He  adds, 
“ Verily  I say  unto  you,  whatsoever  ye  shall  bind  on  earth 
shall  be  bound  in  heaven ; and  whatsoever  ye  shall  loose  on 
earth  shall  be  loosed  in  heaven,”  Matt.  18:  15 — 18.  Christ 
made  his  ministers  the  rulers  of  his  church,  and  put  the  keys 
of  the  kingdom  into  their  hands ; and  he  requires  the  people 
to  ‘ submit  to  them,  and  obey  them  in  the  Lord,’  Heb.  13:  17. 

Agreeable  to  these  Scriptures  was  the  practice  of  the  an- 
cient church,  for  many  years  after  Christ;  in  which  disci- 
pline was  exercised  much  more  vigorously  than  among  any 
of  us,  even  in  the  heat  of  heathen  persecutions,  as  well  as 
under  Christian  magistrates,  (till  selfishness  and  formality 
caused  them  to  be  remiss  in  this  and  other  duties  together,) 
as  may  be  seen  in  the  ancient  canons  and  Cyprian’s  epistles. 
Discipline  was  not  then  taken  to  be  a useless  thing  ;i  nor 
would  it  appear  such  now,  if  it  were  shown  in  its  strength 
and  beauty,  by  a vigorous  practice;  for  you  will  never  make 


^ Disciplina  est  custos  spei,  retinaculum  fidei,  dux  itineris  saluta- 
ris,  femes  ac  nutrimenlum  bonae  indolis,  magistra  virtutis ; facit  in 
Christo  manere  semper,  ac  jugiter  Deo  vivere,  ad  promissa  coelestia 
et  divina  praemia  pervenire  : Hanc  et  sectari  salubre  est,  et  adversa- 
ri  ac  negligere  lethale.  Cypr.  de  Discip.  p.  265.  See  Calvin’s 
Instit.  lib.  IV.  nap.  12.  § 1,  2. 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


293 


men  know  what  it  is  by  mere  talking  of  it;  it  being,  like  the 
government  of  Commonwealths,  little  known  till  learned  by 
experience.  I know  that  when  the  church  began  to  be 
tainted  with  vain  inventions,  the  word  discipline  changed  its 
signification  for  various  of  their  own  rules  of  life,  and  austere 
impositions ; but  it  is  for  the  ancient  and  truly  Christian 
discipline  alone  that  I ain  contending.  There  is  no  room  to 
doubt  whether  this  be  our  duty,  nor  whether  we  are  unfaith- 
ful as  to  the  performance  of  it.  It  is  certainly  no  less  our 
duty  because  our  brethren  of  late  have  made  so  little  con- 
science of  it.  And  what  are  the  hindrances  that  now  keep 
the  ministers  of  England  from  the  discharge  of  it  ? I hear 
what  some  say,  and  see  more, 

1,  Some  object  that  we  shall  be  guilty  of  defaming  men, 
by  thus  publishing  their  crimes.”  I answer  in  the  words  of 
Bernard,  Cum  carpuntur  vitia,  et  inde  scandalum  oritur, 
ipse  sibi  scandali  causa  est,  quidecit  quod  argui  debet;  non 
ille  qui  arguit.  Non  ergo  timeas  contra  charitatem  esse,  si 
unius  scandalum  multorum  recompensaveris  pace.  Melius 
est  enim  ut  pereat  unus  quam  unitas.”^  Many  of  us,  who 
would  be  ashamed  to  omit  preaching  or  praying  half  so  much, 
have  not  considered  what  we  do  in  wilfully  neglecting  this 
duty.  We  draw  down  the  guilt  of  men’s  crimes  upon  our 
own  heads,  when  we  do  not  use  God’s  means  for  the  cure  of 
them.2 

2.  Others  will  say  “ that  there  is  little  likelihood  that  pub- 
lic, personal  reprehension  should  do  any  good  to  offenders, 
because  they  will  be  but  enraged  by  the  shame.’^  I answer 
in  the  words  of  Philo  a Jew:  We  must  endeavor  as  far  as 
we  are  able  to  save  those  from  their  sins  who  will  certainly 
perish  by  them ; imitating  good  physicians,  who,  when  they 
cannot  save  a sick  man,  do  yet  willingly  try  all  means  for 
cure,  lest  they  seem  to  want  success,  through  their  own  neg- 
ligence.3  I further  answer,  it  ill  becomes  the  ignorant  crea- 
ture to  implead  the  ordinances  of  God  as  useless.  God  can 
render  his  own  ordinances  successful,  or  else  he  would  never 
have  appointed  them.  Besides,  church  discipline  seems  to 

^ Bernard  sup.  Cantic. 

2 Qui  non  corrigit  resecanda  committit. — Greg. 

Si  quid  me  scis  fecisse  incite  aut  improbe,  si  id  non  accusas,  tu 
ipse  objurgandus  es. — Plant. 

^ Philo  de  sacrif.  Abel  et  Cain, 

25^ 


294 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


be  well  calculated  for  usefulness.  It  tends  to  the  shaming 
of  sin,  and  the  humbling  of  the  sinner  ; to  manifest  the  holi- 
ness of  Christ,  of  his  doctrine,  and  his  church,  before  all  the 
world.  What  method  should  be  taken  with  offenders,  if  not 
this?  Must  they  be  given  up  as  hopeless?  That  were 
cruel ; and  other  means  are  supposed  to  have  been  used 
without  success.  The  church  of  Christ  has  found  this 
method  to  be  successful,  even  in  times  of  persecution,  when 
(if  ever)  carnal  reason  would  have  told  them  to  forebear  it, 
for  fear  of  driving  away  their  converts.  But  besides  all  that 
has  been  said,  let  it  be  remembered,  that  the  principal  use 
of  this  public  discipline,  is  not  for  the  offender  himself,  but 
for  the  church.  It  tends  greatly  to  deter  others  from  the 
like  crimes,  and  so  to  keep  our  churches  and  worship  pure.^ 

3.  Some  will  say,  That  this  will  but  restrain  men  as  hy- 
pocrites and  not  convert  them.’’  I answer.  Who  knows  how 
God  may  bless  his  ordinances  ? It  is  true  repentance  to 
which  offenders  are  exhorted,  and  which  they  profess ; whe- 
ther they  truly  profess  it  or  not,  who  can  tell  but  God  ? How- 
ever, if  it  only  restrains  persons,  that  is  a benefit  not  to  be 
contemned.  It  is  of  some  importance  that  sin  be  disgraced  ; 
and  so  far  the  church  acquit  themselves.  But  the  grand  ob- 
jection against  discipline,  as  far  as  I can  learn,  is, 

4.  The  difficulty  of  the  work,  and  the  trouble  or  suffering 
you  are  likely  to  bring  upon  yourselves  by  it.  “We  cannot 
(say  you)  publicly  reprehend  one  sinner,  but  he  will  highly 
resent  it,  and  bear  us  malice  for  it.  We  can  prevail  with 
very  few  to  make  a public  profession  of  repentance  ; and  if 
we  excommunicate  them,  that  will  enrage  them  the  more. 
If  we  were  to  deal  with  all  the  obstinate  sinners  in  the  parish 
in  the  manner  you  advise,  it  would  be  dangerous  living  among 
them ; or  we  should  be  so  hated,  that  our  labors  would  be- 
come quite  unprofitable  to  them.  Duty  therefore  ceases  to 
be  duty,  because  the  hurt  that  would  follow  would  be  greater 
than  the  good.”  But  are  not  these  reasons  as  valid  against 
professing  and  defending  Christianity  in  some  times  and 
places,  as  now  against  discipline  ? Christ  has  told  us  ^ that 
he  came  not  to  send  peace ;’  and  that  ^ the  world  will  hate 
us.’  Many  of  his  servants  have  met  with  more  difficulty  in 
doing  their  duty  than  we  can  expect ; which  yet  did  not  pre- 


1 Vitia  transmittit  ad  posteros,  qui  praesentibus  culpis  ignoscit. — 
Bonis  nocet  qui  malis  parcit. — Seneca. 


THE  REFORMEB  PASTOR. 


295 


vent  their  hiithful  discharge  of  it.  If  we  did  our  duty  faith- 
fully as  ministers,  we  should  now  find  much  the  same  lot 
among  professed  Christians,  as  our  predecessors  did  among 
infidels.  But  if  you  cannot  suffer  for  Christ,  why  did  you 
‘ put  your  hands  to  his  plough?’  You  ought  ‘ first  to  have 
sat  down  and  counted  the  cost.’  This  makes  the  ministerial 
work  so  unfaithfully  done,  because  it  is  so  carnally  under- 
taken. Many  enter  upon  it  as  a life  of  ease  and  honor  from 
men,  and  therefore  they  resolve  to  attain  their  ends,  whether 
right  or  wrong.  As  for  your  making  yourselves  incapable 
of  doing  men  any  good,  if  you  thus  publicly  admonish  them ; 
I answer,  that  reason  is  as  valid  against  plain  preaching,  or 
private  reproof,  or  any  other  duty  for  which  wicked  men  will 
hate  us.  As  has  been  already  observed,  God  will  bless  his 
own  ordinances  to  do  good,  or  else  he  would  not  have  ap- 
pointed them.  By  this  means  you  may  possibly  do  good  to 
the  offender,  and  even  to  the  excommunicate  ; I am  sure  it 
is  God’s  means,  and  the  last  means  we  can  use ; it  were 
therefore  perverse  to  neglect  it.  However,  other  persons, 
both  within  and  without  the  church,  may  receive  good  by  it, 
though  the  offender  himself  receive  none ; and  God  will  cer- 
tainly have  the  honor  when  his  church  is  thus  manifestly  dis- 
tinguished from  the  world.  But  let  me  tell  you,  there  is  not 
such  ‘ a lion  in  the  way’  as  you  may  imagine:  nor  is  disci- 
pline so  useless  a thing.  I bless  God,  upon  the  small  (and 
too  late)  trial  I have  made  of  it  myself.  I can  say  by  experi- 
ence it  is  not  vain,  nor  are  the  hazards  of  it  such  as  may 
excuse  our  neglect. — To  this  last  objection  many  have 
added, 

5.  “ That  it  is  a vain  thing  to  attempt  the  use  of  discipline 
in  the  church,  unless  it  were  established  by  secular  power, 
and  all  the  people  were  forced,  under  a penalty,  to  submit  to 
it ; that  without  the  help  of  the  civil  magistrate  it  is  not  like- 
ly that  we  should  do  any  good,  since  every  man  has  liberty 
to  despise  our  censures,  and  to  absent  himself  when  he  should 
appear  before  the  church.”  Here  let  me  ask.  How  did  the 
church  of  Christ  subsist  before  the  days  of  Constantine  the 
Great,  without  the  help  of  the  civil  magistrate  ? And  how 
was  discipline  exercised  for  three  hundred  years  together, 
when  the  prince  did  not  so  much  as  give  protection  or  tole- 
ration to  Christians,  but  even  persecuted  them  to  death  ? 
Yet  then  was  the  church  in  its  best  state,  and  its  discipline 
the  most  pure  and  powerful.  Are  the  keys  of  Christ’s  church 


296 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


SO  unfit  and  useless,  that  they  will  not  open  and  shut  without 
the  magistrate’s  help  ? If  they  have  contracted  any  rust  we 
may  thank  ourselves,  who  have  let  them  lie  so  long  without 
use.  But  let  me  add,  that  too  much  interposition  of  the  civ- 
il magistrate  with  our  discipline,  would  do  more  hurt  than 
good  ; it  would  but  corrupt  it  by  the  mixture,  and  make  it 
become  a mere  human  thing.  Your  government  is  all  to 
work  upon  the  conscience,  and  the  sword  cannot  reach  that. 
It  is  not  a desirable  thing  to  have  repentance  so  obscured  by 
mere  forced  confessions,  that  you  cannot  know  when  persons 
mean  as  they  speak.  I confess,  if  (since  I have  exercised 
discipline)  the  sword  had  interposed  and  forced  men  to  those 
public  confessions  of  sin  and  professions  of  repentance,  to 
which  I have  persuaded  them  by  the  light  of  God’s  word,  it 
would  have  left  me,  (and  I believe  the  church  too,)  very  much 
dissatisfied  with  them  ; imagining  they  only  complied  with  it 
because  they  were  forced.  I am  the  less  sorry  that  the  ma- 
gistrate doth  so  little  interpose,  on  account  of  that  blind,  con- 
fused zeal  which  so  much  prevails  amongst  us.  Persons  of 
every  party  are  so  confident  that  they  are  in  the  right,  and 
lay  such  stress  upon  many  opinions  of  their  own,  as  if  life  or 
death  depended  upon  them;  making  a great  outcry  against 
whatever  are  called  errors  by  their  own  party,  without  know- 
ing what  they  are,  or  how  to  confute  them,  or  which  are  tole- 
rable in  the  church,  and  which  intolerable.  If  the  sword 
were  in  such  envious,  angry  hands,  there  would  be  little  qui- 
et to  the  church.  This  may  possibly  make  the  magistrate 
think  fit  to  let  us  fight  it  out  with  our  naked  fists,  and  not  to 
put  swords  into  our  hands  till  we  are  more  sober,  and  know 
•better  how  to  use  them.  As  long  as  he  does  not  prevent  us 
from  exercising  that  kind  of  discipline  which  has  now  been 
recommended,  I fear  not  but,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  a pru- 
dent, resolute,  unanimous  ministry  will,  in  general,  be  able 
to  bring  persons  to  submit  to  it,  so  as  to  answer  very  impor- 
tant purposes. 

I shall  conclude  this  subject  with  earnestly  requesting  my 
brethren  in  the  ministry  speedily  and  faithfully  to  put  in  ex- 
ecution, at  least,  all  the  unquestionable  part  of  the  discipline 
for  which  I have  been  contending. 

1.  Consider  how  sinful  the  neglect  of  it  is,  and  how  dan- 
gerous with  respect  to  yourselves.  It  is  indeed  a sad  case 
that  good  men,  under  so  much  liberty,  should  settle  them- 
selves so  long  in  the  constant  neglect  of  so  great  a duty.  In 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


297 


our  preaching  to  our  people,  we  make  it  a bad  sign  to  live  in 
the  wilful,  continued  omission  of  any  known  duty ; and  shall 
we  do  so  year  after  year,  and  even  all  our  days?  We  plain- 
ly manifest  sloth  and  laziness  herein,  if  not  unfaithfulness  in 
the  work  of  Christ.  I speak  from  experience;  laziness 
pleaded  hard  against  this  duty,  and  long  kept  me  from  it.  It 
is  indeed  a troublesome  and  painful  work,  and  calls  for  some 
self-denial,  as  it  will  expose  us  to  the  displeasure  of  the  wick- 
ed. But  dare  we  prefer  our  carnal  ease  or  the  love  of  wick- 
ed men  before  our  duty  to  Christ  our  master  ? Can  such 
slothful  servants  look  for  a good  reward  ? 

2.  The  neglect  of  discipline  has  a strong  tendency  to  the 
deluding  of  souls;  by  making  men  think  that  they  are  Chris- 
tians when  they  are  not,  because  they  are  not,  by  God’s  or- 
dinance, separated  from  such  as  are;  and  by  making  scan- 
dalous sinners  think  their  sin  tolerable,  because  it  is  so  tole- 
rated by  the  pastors  of  the  church.  We  hereby  corrupt 
Christianity  itself  in  the  eyes  of  the  world,  and  do  our  part 
to  make  them  believe,  that  to  be  a Christian  is  only  to  be  of 
such  or  such  an  opinion,  and  the  Christian  religion  requires 
holiness  no  more  than  the  false  religions  of  the  world.  If 
the  holy  and  unholy  are  all  permitted  to  be  sheep  of  the  same 
fold,  without  the  use  of  Christ’s  means  to  distinguish  them, 
we  do  our  part  to  defame  Christ  by  it,  and  to  make  it  appear 
as  if  this  were  according  to  his  institutions. 

3.  By  the  neglect  of  discipline  you  encourage  separation. 
If  you  will  not  by  this  means  distinguish  between  ‘ the  pre- 
cious and  the  vile,’  the  people  will  do  it  by  withdrawing  from 
you ; which  many  honest  Christians  will  think  they  are  ne- 
cessitated to  do.  Nor  can  you  wonder,  if  you  keep  a num- 
ber of  scandalous  sinners  in  your  churches  without  ever  re- 
proving them,  that  some  timorous  souls  should  run  out 
of  them,  as  out  of  an  edifice  which  they  apprehend  ready  to 
fall. 

I have  known  many  who  have  separated  merely  on  this 
account. 

4.  By  this  neglect  we  do  much  to  bring  the  wrath  of  God 
upon  ourselves  and  our  congregations,  and  so  to  blast  the 
fruit  of  our  labors.  If  ‘ the  angel  of  the  church  of  Thyatira,’ 
Rev.  2:  20 — 23,  was  reproved  for  suffering  seducers  in  it, 
and  those  who  joined  with  them  were  so  severely  threatened, 
surely  we  deserve  reproof  on  the  same  ground,  for  suffering 
open,  scandalous,  impenitent  sinners  among  us,  and  have 


298 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


reason  to  fear  the  execution  of  this  threatening  upon  our 
churches. 

But  against  all  that  I have  said  in  behalf  of  discipline  you 
will  plead,  ‘‘Our  people  are  not  ready  for  it;  they  will  not 
yet  bear  it.”  But  is  not  the  meaning  of  this^  that  you  will 
not  bear  the  trouble  and  hatred  which  it  will  occasion  ? I 
beseech  you,  in  order  that  you  may  make  a comfortable  ac- 
count to  the  ‘ chief  shepherd,^  and  that  you  may  not  be  found 
‘ unfaithful  in  the  house  of  God,’  that  you  do  not  shrink  from 
duty  because  of  the  trouble  to  the  flesh,  that  may  attend  it. 
Remember  for  your  encouragement,  that  the  most  costly  du- 
ties are  usually  the  most  comfortable,  and  you  may  be  sure 
that  Christ  will  bear  the  cost. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

OF  THE  MOTIVES  TO  PASTORAL  FIDELITY  IN  GENERAL,  SUG- 
GESTED IN  THE  TEXT. 

The  first  thing  proposed  has  now  been  fully  handled, 
which  was  to  point  out  and  recommend  the  several  parts  of 
the  ministerial  office;  we  therefore  proceed  to  the  second, 
which  is  “ to  consider  the  motives  suggested  in  the  text,  to  a 
diligent  performance  of  them.”  The  Lord  grant  that  they 
may  work  upon  us  all  according  to  their  truth  and  impor- 
tance. 

I.  The  nature  of  our  office  obliges  us  to  ‘ take  heed  to  all 
the  flock  we  are  styled  overseers. 

And  for  what  else  are  we  overseers  To  be  a bishop  or 
pastor  is  not  to  be  set  up  as  an  idol  for  the  people  to  bow*  to; 
or  to  be  (what  the  apostle  calls  the  Cretans,)  “ evil  beasts, 
slow  bellies,”  Tit.  1:  12,  to  live  to  our  fleshy  delight  and  ease; 
but  it  is  to  be  the  guide  of  sinners  to  salvation.  It  is  a sad 
thing  that  men  should  undertake  a calling  of  which  they 
know  not  the  nature;  which,  with  too  many,  is  evidently  the 
case.  Do  those  persons  know  and  consider  what  they  have 
undertaken,  who  live  in  ease  and  pleasure ; who  have  time 
to  take  their  superfluous  recreations,  and  spend  it  in  loitering 


^ Episcopus  est  nomen  quod  plus  oneris  quod  honoris  signifieat. — 
Polyd.  Virg.  p.  240. 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


299 


or  in  vain  discourses,  when  so  much  work  lies  upon  their 
hands  ? Brethren,  do  you  consider  where  you  stand,  and 
what  you  have  taken  upon  you?  You  have,  under  Christ, 
undertaken  a band  of  his  soldiers  against  principalities  and 
powers,  and  spiritual  wickednesses  in  high  places;’’  you 
must  lead  them  on  in  the  sharpest  conflicts ; you  must  ac- 
quaint them  with  the  enemy’s  stratagems  and  assaults ; you 
must  watch  yourselves,  and  keep  them  watching.  If  you 
miscarry,  they  and  you  may  perish.  You  have  a subtile  ene- 
my, and  therefore  you  must  be  wise ; you  have  a vigilant 
enemy,  therefore  you  must  be  vigilant ; you  have  a mali- 
cious, violent  and  unwearied  enemy,  and  therefore  you  must 
be  resolute,  courageous  and  unwearied.  You  are  in  a crowd 
of  enemies,  encompassed  with  them  on  every  side ; so  that  if 
you  do  not  take  particular  heed  to  every  one  of  them,  you 
will  quickly  fall.  And  oh ! what  a world  of  icorlc  have  you 
to  do ! Had  you  but  one  ignorant  person  to  teach,  though 
willing  to  learn,  what  a tedious  task  would  it  be  ! How  much 
more  diflicult  then  would  it  be  if  that  person  were  as  unwill- 
ing as  ignorant ! But  to  have  such  multitudes  of  these  as 
most  of  us  have,  will  find  us  work  indeed  ! How  much  wick- 
edness have  we  sometimes  to  contend  against  in  one  soul ! 
And  what  a number  of  such  wicked  persons  have  we  to  deal 
with  ! What  deep  rooting  have  their  sins  taken,  and  under 
what  disadvantages  must  truth  come  to  them  ! What  stran- 
gers are  they  to  the  heavenly  message  we  bring  them  ! They 
frequently  know  not  what  you  say,  though  you  speak  to  them  in 
the  plainest  language.  And  when  you  think  you  have  done 
them  some  good,  you  leave  your  seed  among  the  “ fowls  of 
the  air.”  Wicked  men  are  at  hand  to  contradict  all  that  you 
have  said,  who  will  cavil  at  and  slander  you  that  they  may 
disgrace  your  message,  and  that  they  may  deride  and  scorn 
them  away  from  Christ ; thus  they  quickly  extinguish  the 
good  beginnings  which  you  hoped  you  had  seen.  They  use 
indeed  weaker  reasons  than  yours ; but  such  as  come  with 
more  advantage,  being  taken  from  things  which  they  see  and 
feel,  and  which  are  befriended  by  the  flesh ; besides,  they 
are  more  familiarly  and  importunately  urged.  You  speak 
but  once  to  a sinner  for  ten  or  twenty  times  that  the  messen- 
gers of  Satan  do.  Moreover,  how  easily  do  the  ‘ cares  and 
businesses  of  the  world  choke  and  devour  the  seed’  w^hich 
you  had  sown,  and  how  easily  will  a frozen,  carnal  heart  (had 
it  no  external  enemies)  extinguish  those  sparks,  which  you 


300 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


have  been  long  in  kindling  ! Yea,  for  want  of  fuel  and  fur- 
ther help,  they  will  go  out  of  themselves.  Among  what 
abundance  of  distempers,  lusts  and  passions  do  you  cast  your 
words,  where  they  are  likely  to  meet  with  but  a poor  enter- 
tainment I And  when  you  think  your  work  doth  happily 
succeed,  seeing  men  under  trouble,  confessing  their  sins, 
promising  reformation  and  living  as  new  creatures  and  zeal- 
ous converts,  they  will  often  prove  unsound ; to  have  been 
but  superficially  changed  ; to  have  taken  up  new  opinions 
and  new  company,  without  a new  heart.  O how  many  per- 
sons (after  some  considerable  change  in  them  has  taken  place,) 
are  deceived  by  the  profits,  the  honors  or  the  pleasures  of 
the  world,  and  ‘ again  entangled  in  their  former  lusts  T Nay, 
how  soon  do  even  the  graces  of  the  saints  themselves  lan- 
guish, if  you  neglect  them  ; and  how  easily  are  they  drawn 
into  shameful  ways,  to  the  dishonor  of  the  gospel,  as  well  as 
their  own  loss  and  sorrow  1 O brethren,  what  afield  of  labor 
is  before  us  ! There  is  not  a person  you  can  see,  but  may 
find  you  work ! You  see  what  the  work  of  a minister  is,  and 
what  a life  he  hath  to  lead.  Exert  yourselves  then  with  all 
your  might.  In  order  to  quicken  you  the  more,  let  me  beg 
you  to  attend  to  the  following  considerations. 

1.  Consider  the  office  of  an  overseer  was  your  own  volun- 
tary undertaking.  No  man  is  forced  to  be  an  overseer  of  the 
church ; does  not  common  honesty  then  require  you  to  be 
true  to  your  trust  ? 

2.  Consider  also  the  honor  that  is  connected  with  your  of- 
fice as  an  encouragement  to  labor.  A great  honor  indeed  it 
is,  to  be  the  ‘ ambassadors  of  God,^  and  the  instruments  of 
men’s  conversion  and  salvation ; to  ^save  souls  from  death  and 
cover  a multitude  of  sins/  For  ministers  to  strive  for  prece- 
dency, and  fill  the  world  with  wide  contentions  about  the 
dignity  and  superiority  of  their  office,  shows  that  they  forget 
the  nature  and  work  of  that  office  they  strive  about.  The 
honor  is  but  the  appendix  to  the  work.  If  ministers  would 
faithfully  and  humbly  lay  out  themselves  for  Christ  and  his 
church,  without  thinking  of  titles  and  reputation,  they  should 
then  have  honor,  whether  they  would  or  not ; whereas  by 
gaping  after  it  they  lose  it. 

3.  Consider  that  you  have  many  privileges  belonging  to 
your  office,  which  should  engage  you  to  diligence  in  it.  It 
is  no  small  thing  that  you  are  maintained  by  other  men’s  la- 
bors. This  is  for  your  work,  that  you  may  not  be  taken  off  from 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


301 


it,  but  that  (as  Paul  requires)  you  may  ‘ give  yourselves 
wholly  to  these  things,^  1 Tim.  4 : 15,  and  not  be  forced  to 
neglect  men’s  souls,  while  you  are  providing  for  your  own 
bodies.  Either  do  the  work,  or  take  not  the  maintenance. 
Besides,  it  ought  to  be  considered  as  a great  privilege  to  be 
bred  up  to  learning,  while  many  others  are  brought  up  at  the 
plough  and  cart ; to  be  furnished  with  so  much  delightful 
knowledge,  when  the  world  lies  in  ignorance  : and  to  con- 
verse with  learned  men  about  sublime  and  glorious  things, 
while  many  others  are  conversant  with  none  but  the  most 
vulgar  and  illiterate.  But  especially,  what  an  excellent  pri- 
vilege is  it,  to  live  in  studying  and  preaching  Christ ! to  be 
continually  searching  into  his  mysteries,  or  feeding  on  them  ! 
to  be  daily  employed  in  contemplating  the  blessed  nature, 
works  and  ways  of  God  ! Others  are  glad  of  the  leisure  of 
the  Lord’s  day,  and  now  and  then  an  hour  besides  when  they 
can  lay  hold  of  it,  but  we  may  keep  a continual  sabbath.  We 
may  almost  do  nothing  else  but  study  and  talk  of  God  and 
glory,  engage  in  acts  of  prayer  and  praise,  and  drink  in  sacred 
and  saving  truths.  Our  employment  is  all  sublime  and 
spiritual.  Whether  we  are  alone,  or  in  company,  our  busi- 
ness is  for  another  world.  O that  our  hearts  were  but  more 
disposed  for  this  work  1 what  a blessed,  joyful  life  should  we 
then  live  ! How  sweet  would  the  study  be  to  us  1 how  pleas- 
ant the  pulpit ! and  what  delight  would  our  conferences 
yield  ! What  excellent  helps  do  our  libraries  afford  ; where 
we  have  such  a variety  of  wise,  silent  companions,  whenever 
we  please ! Surely  all  these,  and  more  such  privileges  at- 
tending the  ministry,  bespeak  our  unwearied  diligence  in  the 
work.  Once  more, 

4.  [Consider  the  interest  which  all  the  faithful  servants  of 
Christ  have  in  their  Master’s  regards.]  You  are  related  to 
Christ  as  well  as  to  the  flock,  and  he  is  related  to  you.  If 
therefore  you  are  faithful  in  your  work,  you  are  not  only  ad- 
vanced, but  secured  by  the  relation.  You  are  ‘ the  stewards 
of  his  mysteries,  and  the  rulers  of  his  household and  he  that 
intrusted  you  with  his  work,  will  maintain  you  in  it.  But 
then  ‘ it  is  required  of  a steward  that  a man  be  found  faith- 
ful.’ Be  true  to  him,  and  never  doubt  of  his  being  true  to 
you.  Do  you  feed  his  flock  ? He  will  sooner  feed  you  as  he 
did  Elijah,  than  forsake  you.  In  the  midst  of  enemies,  he 
will  ‘give  you  a tongue  and  wisdom  which  none  shall  resist’ 
If  you  willingly  put  your  hand  to  his  plough,  he  will  wither 


302 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


the  hand  that  is  stretched  out  against  you.  His  faithful 
ministers  have  always  had  large  experience  of  his  care.  He 
who  knows  that  he  serves  a God  who  will  never  suffer  any 
man  to  be  a loser  by  him,  needs  not  fear  what  hazards  he 
runs  in  his  cause ; and  he  who  knows  that  he  is  seeking  a 
prize  which,  if  obtained,  will  infinitely  exceed  his  cost,  may 
boldly  engage  his  whole  estate  on  it,  and  ‘ sell  all  he  has  to 
purchase  so  rich  a pearl.’  The 

IL  Motive  to  fidelity,  which  our  text  suggests,  is  taken 
from  the  person  by  whom  ministers  are  invested  with  their 
office,  viz.  the  Holy  Ghost;  “ the  flock  over  which  the  Holy 
Ghost  hath  made  you  overseers.” 

This  divine  agent  is  said  to  make  bishops  or  pastors,  not 
merely  because  be  has  determined  in  his  word  that  there 
shall  be  such  an  office,  what  the  work . and  power  shall  be, 
and  what  sort  of  men  shall  receive  it ; but  also  because  he 
qualifies  men  for  the  office,  because  he  directs  those  that  or- 
dain them,  to  discern  their  qualifications,  and  because  he  di- 
rects them  and  the  people  themselves,  in  fixing  them  over  a 
particular  charge.  These  were  done,  in  the  first  ages  of 
Christianity,  in  an  extraordinary  manner  by  inspiration.  But, 
when  men  are  rightly  called,  they  are  made  overseers  of  the 
church  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  i.  e.  by  the  ordinary  influences  of 
the  same  Spirit,  now  as  well  as  then.  What  an  obligation 
then  is  laid  upon  us  by  our  call ! If  our  commission  be  from 
heaven,  it  is  not  to  be  disobeyed.  When  Paul  was  called  by 
the  voice  of  Christ  to  preach  the  gospel,  he  ‘‘  was  not  disobe- 
dient to  the  heavenly  vision.”  When  the  apostles  were  call- 
ed by  our  Lord,  from  their  secular  employments,  they  im- 
mediately ‘‘left  their  friends  and  houses  and  trade  and  all, 
and  followed  him.”  Though  our  call  be  not  so  immediate  or 
extraordinary,  it  is  from  the  same  Spirit,  and  therefore  ought 
to  be  as  readily  obeyed.  It  is  not  a safe  course  to  imitate 
Jonah,  in  turning  our  backs  upon  the  commands  of  God.  If 
we  neglect  our  work,  he  has  a spur  to  quicken  us.  If  we  run 
from  it,  he  has  messengers  enough  to  overtake  us,  to  bring  us 
back  and  make  us  do  it ; and  certainly  it  is  better  to  do  it  at 
first  than  at  last.  The 

HI.  Motive  in  the  text  to  diligence  in  our  work,  is  taken 
from  the  dignity  of  the  object,  viz.  the  church  of  God. 

It  is  that  church  for  which  the  world  is  upheld,  which  is 
sanctified  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is  united  to  Christ,  and 
which  is  his  mystical  body.  That  church  with  which  angels 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


303 


are  present,  and  on  which  they  attend  as  * ministering  spirits* 
whose  very  * little  ones  have  their  angels  beholding  the  face 
of  God  in  heaven.*  O what  a charge  is  it  that  we  have  un- 
dertaken ! And  shall  we  be  unfaithful  to  it  ? Have  we  the 
stewardship  of  God’s  own  family,  and  shall  we  neglect  it  ? 
Have  we  the  conduct  of  those  saints  who  are  to  live  for  ever 
with  God  in  glory,  and  shall  we  omit  our  duty  to  them  ? God 
forbid  ! Are  the  souls  of  men  thought  meet  by  God  to  see  his 
face,  and  live  forever  in  his  presence  1 and  are  they  not  wor- 
thy of  your  utmost  cost  and  labor  ? Do  not  think  so  meanly 
of  the  church  of  God,  as  if  it  deserved  not  your  highest  re- 
gards. Were  you  the  keepers  of  swine  or  sheep,  you  would 
scarcely  let  them  go,  and  say  they  were  not  worth  looking 
after  ; especially  if  they  were  your  own  : dare  you  then  neg- 
lect the  souls  of  men,  even  the  church  of  God  ? Remember 
Christ  ‘ walks  among  them  ; the  praises  of  the  most  high  God 
are  in  the  midst  of  them.  They  are  a chosen  generation  ; a 
sanctified,  peculiar  people  ; a royal  priesthood,  a holy  nation  ; 
to  show  forth  the  praises  of  him  that  called  them.’  What  an 
honor  is  it  to  be  one  of  them,  though  but  a ‘ door-keeper  in 
the  house  of  the  Lord  !’  Surely  then  to  be  the  Priest  of  these 
priests,  and  the  Ruler  of  these  kings,  is  such  an  honor,  is 
such  a noble  employment,  as  multiplies  your  obligations  to 
diligence  and  fidelity. 

IV.  The  last  motive  mentioned  in  the  text  to  ‘‘  take  heed 
to  the  flock,  and  feed  the  church  of  God,”  is,  the  Price  that 
was  paid  for  it. 

It  is  spoken  of  as  ^ purchased  by  h's  blood  i.  e.  by  the 
blood  of  Christ,  who  (by  the  way)  is  here  expressly  called 
God.  God  the  Son  did  purchase  the  church  with  his  own 
blood.  What  an  argument  is  here  to  quicken  the  negligent, 
and  to  condemn  those  that  will  not  be  quickened!  What! 
shall  we  despise  the  blood  of  Christ?  Shall  we  think  it  was 
shed  for  such  as  are  not  worthy  of  our  care?  The  guilt  of 
negligent  pastors  is  certainly  great,  since,  as  much  as  in  them 
lies,  they  make  the  blood  of  Christ  to  be  shed  in  vain.  They 
would  lose  him  those  souls,  whom  he  has  so  dearly  bought. 
Whenever  we  feel  ourselves  grow  dull  and  careless,  let  us  im- 
agine we  heard  the  blessed  Saviour  arguing  with  us  to  this 
effect ; Did  I die  for  those  souls,  and  wilt  not  thou  look 
after  them?  Were  they  worth  my  blood,  and  are  they  not 
worth  thy  care  ? Did  I come  down  from  heaven  to  earth 
^ to  seek  and  to  save  them  that  were  lost,’  and  wilt  not  thou 


304 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


go  to  the  next  door  or  street  or  village  to  seek  them?  How 
small  is  thy  labor  or  condescension  in  comparison  with  mine? 
I debased  myself  to  this ; but  it  is  thy  honor  to  be  so  employ- 
ed. Have  I done  and  suffered  so  much  for  the  salvation  of 
men,  and  was  I willing  to  make  thee  a co-worker  with  me, 
and  wilt  thou  refuse  the  little  that  lies  upon  thy  hands  ?’’ 

Every  time  we  look  upon  our  congregations,  let  us  be- 
lievingly  remember  that  they  are  the  purchase  of  Christ’s 
blood,  and  let  us  regard  them  accordingly.  Let  us  often 
think  in  what  confusion  a negligent  minister  will  be  at  the 
last  day,  to  have  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God  pleaded  against 
him  ; and  to  hear  Christ  say,  “ Thou  didst  make  light  of  the 
purchase  of  my  blood,  and  canst  thou  now  hope  to  be  saved 
by  it  thyself?”  O brethren!  since  Christ  will  bring  his 
blood  to  plead  [at  God’s  righteous  bar],  let  it  now  effectually 
plead  with  us  to  do  our  duty,  lest  it  should  then  plead  against 
us  to  our  damnation  I 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

OF  THE  OBJECTIONS  TO  THE  COURSE  OF  MINISTERIAL  DUTY 

RECOMMENDED  ; PARTICULARLY  PERSONAL  INSTRUCTION. 

It  is  a hard  case  that  so  good  a master  as  ours,  in  so  good 
a work,  should  have  servants  so  bad  as  to  plead  against  their 
duty  when  they  should  practice  it,  especially  that  good  men 
should  be  so  backward  to  it  as  to  need  many  words  to  excite 
them  to  the  diligent  performance  of  it.  Yet  alas  ! this  is  too 
common  a case.  I have  no  great  fear  of  any  opposition  from 
conscience,  or  unbiassed  reason ; but  only  from  unwilling- 
ness, and  from  reason  biassed  by  the  flesh.  [This  will  sug- 
gest many  objections ; the  principal  of  which  shall  now  be 
considered  and  answered  ; which  was  the  third  thing  pro- 
posed.] 

I.  Perhaps  some  will  object  to  what  is  said  about  personal 
instruction,  “ That  their  congregations  are  so  large  that  it  is 
impossible  for  them  to  know  all  their  hearers,  much  more  to 
lake  heed  to  every  individual.” 

But  let  me  ask  such  persons, — Was  it  necessary  for  you  to 
take  upon  you  such  a charge  ? If  not,  you  excuse  one  sin  by 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


305 


another.  How  durst  you  undertake  what  you  knew  your- 
selves unable  to  perform  ? If  it  was  in  a manner  necessary, 
might  you  not  have  procured  some  assistance?  Have  you 
not,  or  could  not  you  get  a maintenance  sufficient  for  your- 
selves and  another  to  help  you?  What  though  it  will  not 
serve  to  support  you  in  fulness,  is  it  not  more  reasonable  that 
you  should  pinch  your  flesh  and  families,  than  undertake  a 
work  you  cannot  do,  and  neglect  the  souls  of  so  many  of  your 
flock?  With  me  it  is  an  unquestionable  thing,  (though  it  will 
seem  hard  to  some,)  that  it  is  your  duty,  if  you  can,  to  live 
upon  part  of  your  salary,  and  allow  the  rest  to  a competent 
assistant.  Do  not  many  families  in  your  parish  live  on  less 
than  you  would  then  have  ? Have  not  many  able  ministers 
been  glad  of  less,  with  liberty  to  preach  the  gospel  ? Can 
yoiir  parishioners  endure  damnation  better  than  you  can 
poverty  ? What ! do  you  call  yourselves  ministers  of  the 
gospel,  and  yet  esteem  the  souls  of  men  so  little,  as  that  you 
had  rather  they  should  eternally  perish,  than  that  you  and 
your  families  should  live  in  a low  condition  ? Ought  you 
not  rather  to  beg  your  bread,  than  hazard  the  salvation  of  one 
soul?  If  you  have  but  ‘food  and  raiment,  you  ought  there- 
with to  be  content.’  What!  would  you  have  more  than  is 
sufficient  to  enable  you  for  the  work  of  God  ? ‘ A man’s  life 

consisteth  not  in  the  abundance  of  things  which  he  possesses,’ 
Luke  12  : 15.  If  your  clothing  be  warm,  and  your  food 
wholesome,  you  may  be  as  well  supported  by  it,  to  do  God’s 
work,  as  if  you  enjoyed  the  greatest  affluence.  He  that  has 
these,  has  but  a poor  excuse  for  hazarding  men’s  souls,  that 
he  may  enjoy  more  of  this  world’s  good.  Remember  how 
strongly  our  blessed  master  recommends  self-denial  to  all  his 
servants.  They  that  will  not  exercise  it,  are  so  far  from  being 
his  ministers,  that  they  are  not  his  true  disciples.  If  your 
circumstances  are  such  that  proper  assistance  cannot  be  pro- 
cured, then  you  should  undertake  your  charge  with  limitation. 
But  do  not  omit  the  work  of  personal  oversight  entirely,  nor 
refuse  dealing  particularly  with  any,  because  you  cannot  do 
it  with  all ; take  this  course  with  as  many  as  you  are  able, 
and  put  your  godly  neighbors,  especially  parents  and  masters 
of  families  upon  doing  more.  Again, 

H.  Some  may  object,  that  “ The  course  recommended 
will  require  too  much  time,  and  will  not  allow  so  much  as  is 
necessary  for  ministers  (young  men  especially)  to  follow 
their  studies,  and  improve  their  own  abilities.” 

26* 


306 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


I answer,  the  persons  whom  I am  persuading  to  this  work, 
are  supposed  to  understand  the  substance  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion, and  to  be  able  to  teach  others;  and  the  addition  of  less 
necessary  things,  is  not  to  be  preferred  to  the  communication 
of  what  are  fundamentally  necessary.  I highly  value  com- 
mon knowledge,  and  would  not  encourage  any  to  set  light  by 
it,  but  I value  the  saving  of  souls  more.  That  which  is 
immediately  necessary,  ought  to  be  done,  whatever  else  is  left 
undone.  It  is  a very  desirable  thing  for  a physician  to  be 
well  studied  in  his  art ; but  if  he  would  be  inquiring  even 
into  the  most  useful  subjects  when  he  should  be  looking  to 
his  patients ; and  should  tell  them  that  he  has  not  time  to 
give  them  advice,  because  he  must  follow  his  own  studies,  I 
should  esteem  that  man  a preposterous  student,  who  thus 
preferred  the  means  to  the  very  end  itself ; indeed  I should 
think  such  a physician  to  be  but  a civil  kind  of  a murderer, 
[nor  can  such  a minister  be  looked  upon  in  abetter  light]. 
Men’s  souls  may  be  saved  without  your  knowing  whether 
God  did  predetermine  the  creature  in  all  its  acts ; whether 
the  understanding  necessarily  determines  the  will,  etc.  etc. 
Get  well  to  Heaven,  and  help  your  people  thither,  and  you 
shall  know  all  these  things  in  a moment,  and  a thousand 
more,  of  which  now,  by  all  your  studies,  you  cannot  gain  a 
certain  knowledge.  This  is  the  most  certain  and  expeditious 
way  to  the  attainment  of  it. — But  consider  further. 

If,  by  the  diligent  practice  of  the  ministerial  duties,  you 
are  prevented  from  acquiring  an  extensive  knowledge,  you 
will  hereby  improve  more  in  that  which  is  most  excellent. 
If  you  know  not  so  many  things  as  others,  you  will  know  the 
most  important  matters  better  than  they.  And  a little  of 
this  kind  of  knowledge,  is  worth  all  the  other  knowledge  in 
the  world.  When  I am  looking  heaven-ward,  gazing  to- 
wards the  inaccessible  light,  and  aspiring  after  the  knowl- 
edge of  God,  and  find  my  soul  so  dark  and  distant,  and  con- 
sider how  little  I know  of  God,  and  how  much  he  is  out  of 
my  reach,  I find  this  the  most  killing  and  grievous  ignorance. 
Methinks  I could  willingly  exchange  all  the  other  knowledge 
I have,  for  one  glimpse  more  of  God  and  the  life  to  come. 
Now,  by  frequent  serious  conversation  about  everlasting 
things,  by  diligently  instructing  and  catechising  your  people, 
you  will  gain  more  of  this  kind  of  knowledge,  than  can  be 
gained  by  any  other  means ; and  thus  you  will  really  grow 
wiser  than  those  that  spend  their  time  in  any  other  way  what- 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


307 


ever.  As  Theology  is  a practical  science,  the  knowledge  of 
it  thrives  best  in  a practical  course.  Laying  out  here,  is  a 
means  of  gathering  in  ; a hearty  endeavor  to  communicate 
and  do  good  is  one  of  the  greatest  helps  to  our  own  proficien- 
cy. So  that  by  this  means  you  are  likely  to  become  more 
able  pastors  of  the  church,  than  private  studies  alone  can 
make  you.  Particularly  it  will  be  an  excellent  means  to  help 
you  in  preaching,  for  when  you  are  well  acquainted  with 
your  people’s  cases,  you  will  know  what  to  preach  upon;  an 
hour’s  conversation  will  furnish  you  with  as  much  matter  as 
an  hour’s  study.  As  he  will  be  the  best  physician  and 
lawyer,  so  he  also  will  be  the  best  divine,  who  adds  practice 
and  experience  proportionable  to  his  studies;  whereas  that 
man  will  prove  a useless  drone,  who  refuses  God’s  service  all 
his  life,  under  a pretence  of  preparing  for  it;  and  lets  men’s 
souls  pass  on  to  perdition,  while  he  pretends  to  be  studying 
how  to  recover  them,  or  getting  more  ability  to  help  and  save 
them. 

However,  let  me  add,  that  though  I esteem  religious 
knowledge  the  chief,  I would  have  you  to  acquire  other 
knowledge  too.  The  other  sciences  may  be  very  useful,  and 
indeed  subservient  to  this ; and  you  may  have  competent 
time  for  both.  Lose  none  upon  vain  recreations  and  amuse- 
ments; trifle  not  away  a minute;  consume  none  in  needless 
sleep  ; do  what  you  do  with  all  your  might,  and  then  see 
what  time  you  may  command.  If  you  set  apart  two  days  in 
a week  for  the  work  of  personal  instruction,  you  may  find 
time  enough  for  your  common  studies  out  of  all  the  rest. 
Duties  are  to  be  taken  together ; none  are  to  be  neglected 
that  can  be  performed,  but  the  greatest  should  always  be 
preferred.  But  if  there  were  such  a case  of  necessity,  that 
we  could  not  read  or  study  for  ourselves  and  instruct  the 
ignorant  too,  I would  throw  by  all  the  libraries  in  the  world 
rather  than  be  guilty  of  the  perdition  of  one  soul : at  least 
I know  that  this  would  be  my  duty. 

III.  It  will  be  objected  by  many,  ‘^that  this  course  will 
destroy  our  health,  by  continually  spending  our  spirits,  with- 
out allowing  time  for  necessary  recreations.” 

I answer,  we  may  do  our  duty,  and  have  time  for  necessa- 
ry recreations  too.  An  hour  or  half  an  hour’s  walk  before 
meat  is  as  much  recreation  as  is  necessary  for  the  weaker 
sort  of  students.  I have  reason  to  know  something  of  this 
by  long  experience.  Though  I have  a body  which  has  Ian- 


308 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


guished  under  great  weaknesses  many  years,  and  which  re- 
quires me  to  take  as  much  exercise  as  almost  any  person  in 
the  world,  yet  I have  found  the  above  proportion  sufficient. 
It  is  undoubtedly  our  duty  to  use  as  much  exercise  as  is 
necessary  for  the  preservation  of  our  health ; so  far  as  our 
work  requires  it ; otherwise,  for  one  day’s  work  we  should 
lose  the  opportunity  of  many ; and  this  may  be  done  very 
consistently  with  all  the  duties  I have  been  recommending. 

As  for  those  men  that  limit  not  their  recreations  to  stated 
hours ; who  must  have  them,  not  to  fit  them  for  their  work, 
but  to  please  their  voluptuous  humor,  such  sensualists  have 
need  to  study  the  nature  of  Christianity  better;  to  learn  the 
danger  of  ‘‘  living  after  the  flesh,”  and  to  get  more  mortifica- 
tion and  self-denial,  before  they  preach  to  others.  If  you 
must  have  your  pleasures,  you  should  not  have  put  yourselves 
into  a calling  which  requires  you  to  make  God  and  his  ser- 
vice your  pleasure,  and  which  restrains  you  so  much  from 
carnal  gratifications.  Do  you  not  know  that  the  Christian 
warfare  consisteth  in  the  combat  between  the  flesh  and  the 
spirit?  That  the  very  difference  between  a Christian  and  a 
wicked  man  is,  that  the  one  ‘‘  lives  after  the  spirit,  mortify- 
ing the  deeds  of  the  body,”  and  the  other  “ lives  after  the 
flesh  ?”  And  that  to  overcome  the  flesh  is  the  principal  part 
of  that  victory,  on  which  the  crown  of  life  depends  ? If  not- 
withstanding this,  you  must  have  your  pleasures,  then  for 
shame  give  over  preaching  of  the  gospel  and  the  profession 
of  Christianity,  and  profess  yourselves  to  be  what  you  are; 
for  as  you  ‘ sow  to  the  flesh,  so  of  the  flesh,  shall  you  receive 
the  wages  of  corruption.’  Does  such  a one  as  Paul  say,  ‘ I 
keep  under  my  body  and  bring  it  into  subjection,  lest  that  by 
any  means,  when  I have  preached  to  others,  I myself  should 
be  cast  away  V 1 Cor.  9:  27.  And  have  not  such  sinners  as 
we  need  to  do  so  too  ? Shall  we  pamper  our  bodies,  when 
Paul  kept  his  under  ? Did  he  bring  it  into  subjection,  lest 
after  all  his  preaching  he  should  be  cast  away  ? And  have 
not  we  much  more  cause  to  fear  it  ? Some  pleasure  is  un- 
doubtedly lawful,  namely,  such  as  tends  to  fit  us  for  our  work. 
But  for  a man  to  be  so  far  in  love  with  his  pleasures  as,  for 
the  sake  of  them,  to  waste  his  precious  time,  and  neglect  the 
work  of  God  for  men’s  salvation,  (especially  to  plead  for  this 
as  necessary,  and  to  justify  himself  in  it,)  is  a degree  of  wick- 
edness inconsistent  with  the  fidelity  of  a common  Christian, 
much  more  with  that  of  a Christian  minister.  Such  wretches 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


309 


as  are  “ lovers  of  pleasure  more  than  lovers  of  God/’  are 
more  fit  to  be  cast  out  of  Christian  communion,  than  to  be 
the  chief  in  the  church  ; ‘‘  from  such”  we  are  commanded 
“ to  turn  away,”  2 Tim.  3:  5. 

Recreations  for  a student,  must  be  especially  for  the  exer- 
cise of  his  body,  since  he  has  continually  before  him  a vari- 
ety of  delights  to  the  mind ; and  they  must  be  used  (as  whet- 
ting is  by  the  mower),  only  as  far  as  is  necessary  to  his 
work. 

Let  it  be  further  considered  ; the  business  I am  recom- 
mending is  not  of  such  a nature  as  is  likely  much  to  impair 
our  health.  It  is  true,  it  must  be  serious ; but  it  will  not  so 
much  spend  our  spirits,  as  excite  and  revive  them.  Men 
can  talk  all  the  day  long  about  other  matters,  without  any 
prejudice  to  their  health;  why  then  may  not  we  talk  with 
men  about  their  salvation  without  any  great  detriment  to 
ours?  I only  mean  on  the  supposition  that  we  have  a toler- 
able measure  of  health  and  strength.  [But  supposing  the 
worst  consequence,  let  me  ask,]  What  have  we  our  time  and 
strength  for  but  to  lay  them  out  for  God  ? What  is  a candle 
made  for  but  to  be  burned?  Burned  and  wasted  we  must 
be;  and  is  it  not  more  reasonable  that  it  should  be  in  light- 
ing men  to  heaven,  and  in  working  for  God,  then  in  living 
to  the  flesh?  How  little  difference  is  there  between  the 
pleasure  of  a long  life  and  a short  one,  when  both  are  at  an 
end  ? What  comfort  will  it  be  to  you  at  death,  that  you 
lengthened  your  life  by  shortening  your  work  ? Our  life  is 
to  be  estimated  according  to  the  end  and  business  of  it,  not 
according  to  the  mere  duration.  He  that  works  much,  lives 
much.  What  Seneca  said  of  a drone,  [may  be  applied  to 
an  indolent  minister]  “ ibi  jacet,  non  ibi  vivit ; et  diu  fuit, 
non  diu  vixit.”  Will  it  not  comfort  us  more  at  death  to  re- 
view a short  time  faithfully  spent,  than  a long  life  unfaith- 
fully ? 

As  for  visits  and  civilities,  if  they  can  answer  greater  ends 
than  our  ministerial  employments,  you  may  break  the  sab- 
bath, or  forbear  preaching  for  them,  and  thus  excuse  your- 
selves from  private  instruction.  But  if  not,  how  dare  you 
make  them  a pretence  to  neglect  so  great  a duty  ? Must 
God  wait  on  your  friends  ? What  though  they  are  Gentle- 
men or  Lords,  must  they  be  served  before  Him  ? Or  is  their 
displeasure  or  censure  more  to  be  feared  than  His  ? It  will 
be  but  a poor  excuse  at  the  last  day  for  neglecting  men’s  sal- 


310 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


vation,  that  such  a gentleman,  or  such  a friend  would  have 
taken  it  ill,  had  you  not  waited  on  therrl/’  If  you  yet  seek 
to  please  men,  you  are  no  longer  the  servants  of  Christ,  Gal. 
1:  10.  He  that  dares  to  waste  his  time  in  compliments,  does 
little  consider  what  he  has  to  do  with  it.  Oh  that  I could 
but  improve  my  time  according  to  my  conviction  of  the  im- 
portance of  it ! He  that  hath  looked  death  in  the  face  as 
often  as  I have  done,  will  know  how  to  value  it.  I profess  I 
am  astonished  at  those  ministers  that  can  find  time  to  hunt 
or  shoot  or  bowl  or  use  other  recreations  two  or  three  hours, 
yea  days  together  ! that  can  sit  an  hour  at  once  in  vain  dis- 
course, and  spend  whole  days  in  complimental  visits,  or 
journeys  to  the  same  purpose  ! Good  Lord  I what  do  such 
men  think  on  ? when  so  many  souls  about  them  cry  for  their 
help,  and  when  the  smallest  parish  has  work  enough  to  em- 
ploy all  their  diligence,  night  and  day!  If  you  have  no 
sense  of  the  worth  of  souls,  of  the  value  of  that  blood  which 
was  shed  for  them,  of  the  glory  set  before  them,  and  of  the 
misery  to  which  they  are  exposed,  then  you  are  no  Chris- 
tians, and  therefore  very  unfit  to  be  ministers ; if  you  have^ 
how  dare  you,  like  idle  gossips,  chat  and  trifle  away  your 
time,  when  so  many  and  such  great  works  call  for  it?  ‘ O 
precious  time  1 how  swiftly  does  it  pass  away  1 how  soon  will 
it  be  gone  1 What  are  the  forty  years  of  my  life  that  are 
past?  Were  every  day  as  long  as  a month,  methinks  it  were 
too  short  for  the  work  of  a day.  Have  we  not  lost  time 
enough  in  the  days  of  our  vanity,  that  we  have  any  now  to 
lose?  Never  do  I come  to  a dying  man,  who  is  not  utterly 
stupid,  but  he  better  sees  the  worth  of  time  than  others  gen- 
erally do.  O then,  if  they  could  call  time  back  again,  how 
loud  would  they  call  I What  would  they  give  for  it ! Can 
we  then  afford  to  trifle  it  away?  Is  it  possible  that  a man  of 
any  true  compassion  and  honesty,  or  any  concern  about  his 
ministerial  duty,  or  any  sense  of  the  strictness  of  his  account, 
should  have  time  to  spare  for  idleness  and  vanity?  May  a 
physician  in  the  time  of  the  plague  take  any  more  relaxation 
than  is  necessary  for  his  life  and  health,  when  so  many  are 
expecting  his  help  in  a case  of  life  or  death  ? If  his  pleasure 
is  not  worth  men’s  lives,  certainly  yours  is  not  worth  men’s 
souls. 

Do  not  reply,  This  is  a hard  saying,  who  can  bear  it? 
And  that  God  does  not  require  ministers  to  make  drudges  of 
themselves.”  Surely  those  men  are  not  likely  to  honor  God, 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


311 


and  promote  his  service,  who  have  such  base  thoughts  of  it 
nor  can  they  delight  in  holiness  who  account  it  a slavish 
work.  Our  Lord  says,  ‘ he  that  denieth  not  himself,  and 
taketh  not  up  his  cross  to  follow  him,  cannot  be  his  disciple,^ 
Matt.  10:  38.  But  these  men  count  it  a slavery  to  labor 
hard  in  his  vineyard  at  a time  when  they  have  all  accommo- 
dations and  encouragements.  If  they  had  seen  the  diligence 
of  Christ  in  doing  good,,  when  he  neglected  his  meat  to  talk 
with  one  woman,  John  4:  31 — 34,  and  when  he  was  so  zeal- 
ous in  preaching  as  to  ‘ have  no  time  to  eat  bread,’  Mark  3: 
20,  21,  they  would  have  been  of  the  same  mind  with  his  car- 
nal friends  who  went  to  lay  hold  of  him,  and  said  ‘ he  is  be- 
side himself.’  If  they  had  seen  him  all  day  in  preaching  and 
healing,  and  ' all  night  in  prayer  to  God,’  they  would  have 
told  him  that  he  made  a slave  of  himself,  and  that  God  did 
not  require  so  much  ado.  I cannot  but  advise  such  men  to 
search  their  own  hearts,  and  inquire  whether  they  unfeigned- 
ly  believe  that  word  they  preach.  If  you  do.  Sirs,  how  can 
you  think  any  labor  too  much  for  such  weighty  ends?  If 
you  do  not,  say  so,  and  get  you  out  of  the  vineyard ; go  with 
the  prodigal  to  keep  swine,  and  do  not  undertake  the  feed- 
ing of  Christ’s  flock. 

Do  you  not  know  that  it  is  your  own  benefit  you  grudge 
at  ? The  more  you  do,  the  more  you  receive ; the  more  you 
lay  out,  the  more  you  have  coming  in.  The  exercise  of 
grace  increases  it.  And  it  is  a slavery  to  be  more  with  God, 
and  to  receive  more  from  him,  than  other  men?  It  is  the 
chief  solace  of  a gracious  soul  to  be  doing  good,  and  re- 
ceiving good  by  doing  it.  Besides,  hereby  we  are  prepar- 
ing for  fuller  receivings  hereafter.  We  put  out  our  talents  to 
usury,  and  by  improving  them,  shall  make  five  become  ten. 
They  who  esteem  the  service  of  God  as  slavery,  justify  the 
profane  who  look  upon  all  diligent  godliness  in  that  light; 
and  hereby  aggravate  their  sin,  and  while  they  thus  debase 
the  work  of  the  Lord,  they  do  but . debase  themselves,  and 
prepare  for  a greater  abasement  at  last. 

IV.  Perhaps  some  may  suggest,  “ that  if  we  make  such 
severe  laws  for  ministers,  the  church  will  soon  be  left  with- 
out them,  as  few  parents  will  choose  such  a burden  for  their 
children,  and  many  persons  will  be  discouraged  from  under- 
taking it.” 

I answer,  the  carnal  and  self-seeking  may  be  discouraged, 
but  not  those  that  thirst  after  the  winning  of  souls,”  who 


312 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


are  devoted  to  the  service  of  God  and  have  taken  up  the 
cross  to  follow  the  Lamb.^’  Christ  would  not  forbear  telling 
the  world  of  the  absolute  necessity  of  self-denial  for  fear  of 
discouraging  men  from  his  service,  but  on  the  contrary,  de- 
clares that  he  will  have  none  but  such  as  will  submit  to  it, 
and  that  those  who  will  not  come  on  these  terms  may  go 
their  way,  and  see  whether  he  wants  their  service  more  than 
they  want  his  protection  and  favor.  These  laws  which  you 
call  severe,  are  not  ours,  but  what  Christ  has  made  and  im- 
posed. If  I should  conceal  or  misinterpret  them,  that  would 
not  relax  them,  nor  excuse  you.  He  who  made  them,  knew 
why  he  did  it,  and  will  expect  the  performance  of  them. 
And  he  will  take  care  for  a supply  of  pastors.  He  has  the 

fulness  of  the  spirit,’’  and  therefore  can  give  men  hearts  to 
do  the  duty  he  has  imposed.  He  that  has  undertaken  the 
work  of  our  redemption,  will  not  lose  all  his  labor,  for  want 
of  instruments  to  carry  on  his  work.  He  will  provide  his 
people  with  ‘ pastors  after  his  own  heart,  who  shall  feed  them 
with  knowledge,’  Jer.  3:  15,  who  will  ‘‘seek  not  theirs,  but 
them,  and  willingly  spend  and  be  spent  for  their  sake.” 
What  I do  you  think  that  Christ  can  have  no  servants,  if  such 
as  you  (with  Demas)  forsake  him  and  turn  to  the  present 
world  ?”  If  you  dislike  his  service,  you  may  seek  a better 
where  you  can  find  it,  and  boast  of  your  gain  in  the  conclu- 
sion ; but  do  not  threaten  him  with  the  loss.  Look  to  your- 
selves as  well  as  you  can,  and  tell  me  at  the  hour  of  death, 
or  at  the  judgment-day,  who  had  the  better  bargain  ; whether 
Christ  had  more  need  of  you,  or  you  of  him.  It  shall  not 
serve  your  turn  to  run  out  of  the  vineyard,  on  pretence  that 
you  cannot  do  the  work ; he  can  follow  you  and  overtake 
you,  as  he  did  Jonah,  with  such  a storm  as  shall  lay  you  “ in 
the  belly  of  hell.”  Totally  to  cast  off  duty,  because  you  can- 
not endure  to  be  faithful  in  the  performance  of  it,  will  prove 
but  a poor  excuse  at  last. 

V.  But  the  strongest  objection  of  all  seems  to  be,  “ that 
few  people  will  submit  to  be  so  freely  dealt  with  by  their 
ministers,  but  will  make  a scorn  at  our  motion.” 

It  cannot  be  denied,  that  too  many  people  are  obstinate  in 
their  wickedness;  that  “simple  ones  love  simplicity,  that 
scorners  delight  in  scorning,  and  that  fools  hate  knowledge,” 
Prov.  1:  22.  But  I wish  it  were  not  too  much  owing  to  min- 
isters, that  a great  part  of  our  people  are  so  obstinate  and 
contemptuous.  If  we  did  but  shine  and  burn  before  them  as 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


313 


we  ouglit ; were  our  sermons  and  our  lives  more  convincing; 
did  we  set  ourselves  to  do  all  the  good  we  could  do ; were 
we  more  humble  and  meek,  more  loving  and  charitable ; and 
did  we  let  them  see  that  we  do  but  little  esteem  any  worldly 
things  in  comparison  with  their  salvation,  much  more  might 
be  done  than  is  done  ; the  mouths  of  many  would  be  stop- 
ped, and  the  wicked  would  be  more  tractable  and  calm  than 
they  are.  However,  the  worse  they  are,  the  more  they  are 
to  be  pitied,  and  the  more  diligent  should  we  be  for  their 
recovery.  Their  wilfulness  will  not  excuse  us  from  our  duty.. 
If  we  do  not  offer  them  our  help,,  how  do  we  know  who  will 
refuse  it  ? Offering  it  is  our  part ; accepting  is  theirs.  If 
we  offer  it  not,  we  leave  them  excusable,  because  then  they 
do  not  refuse  it ; but  we  leave  ourselves  without  excuse.  If 
they  refuse  our  help  when  it  is  offered,  we  have  done  our 
part  and  delivered  our  own  souls.  But  if  some  refuse  it, 
others  will  accept  it ; and  the  success,  with  regard  to  them, 
may  be  such  as  to  reward  all  our  labor,  though  it  were  much 
more.  All  are  not  wrought  upon  by  public  preaching ; but 
we  must  not  therefore  give  it  over  as  unprofitable.  In  a 
word,  there  is  nothing  from  God  or  from  right  reason  to 
make  us  backward  to  any  part  of  our  work;  though  from  the 
world,  the  flesh  and  the  devil,  we  shall  have  much,  and  per- 
haps more  than  we  yet  expect.  But  if,  against  all  tempta- 
tions and  difficulties,  we  have  recourse  to  God,  and  look  on 
his  great  obligations  on  one  side,  and  the  hopeful  effects  and 
rewards  on  the  other,  we  shall  find  but  little  cause  to  draw 
back  or  faint.i 


^ The  author,  in  his  preface  to  the  2d  edition  of  the  Reformed 
Pastor,  has  a remarkable  passage  concerning  his  own  experience  on 
this  head,  which  it  may  not  be  amiss  here  to  transcribe;  especially 
as  it  shows  what  an  illustrious  example  he  was  of  that  diligence 
which  he  recommends  to  others.  “ I find  (says  he)  that  we  never 
took  the  rightest  course  to  demolish  the  kingdom  of  darkness  till  now. 
1 wonder  at  myself  that  1 was  kept  from  so  clear  and  excellent  a 
duty  so  long.  But  the  case  was  with  me,  as  1 suppose  it  is  with 
others ; I was  convinced  of  my  duty,  but  my  apprehensions  of  it 
were  too  small,  and  of  the  difficulties  of  it,  too  great.  1 thought  that 
the  people  would  have  scorned  it,  and  that  only  a few  (who  had 
least  need)  would  have  submitted  to  it.  The  work  seemed  strange 
to  me  ; I was  for  staying  till  the  people  were  better  prepared  for  it, 
and  thought  my  strength  would  never  go  through  with  it ; thus  was 
1 detained  in  delays,  which  I beseech  the  Lord  of  mercy  to  forgive. 
Whereas  upon  trial,  1 find  the  difficulties  to  be  nothing  to  what  I 
imagined,  and  I experience  the  benefits  and  comforts  of  the  work  to 

27 


314 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


VI.  But  to  all  that  I have  said  to  recommend  personal  in- 
struction, many  will  answer,  “ You  build  too  much  on  Paul’s 
teaching  from  house  to  house,  and  other  passages  of  the  same 
kind  ; those  times,  when  the  churches  were  first  planting,  re- 
quired more  diligence  than  ours;  show  us  some  passage  of 
Scripture  which  requires  from  us  all  that  you  have  prescribed, 
and  especially  which  obliges  us  to  set  apart  two  days  in  the 
week  for  it.’’^  I reply, 

1.  I do  not  make  it  a minister’s  duty  absolutely  to  go  up 
and  down  from  house  to  house  to  each  person  in  the  parish, 
or  of  his  charge ; nay,  I would  not  so  much  as  advise  you  to 
this  without  necessity ; but  first  call  the  people  to  come  to 
you  at  your  house,  or  at  the  vestry,  or  wherever  you  please, 
so  that  you  will  but  give  them  that  personal  instruction,  on  a 
proper  inquiry  into  their  states,  which  their  circumstances 
require.  And  then  go  to  those  that  will  not  come  to  you 
if  they  will  consent  to  it,  and  if  you  are  able.  For  my  own 
part,  I cannot  go  from  house  to  house  without  the  apparent 
hazard  of  my  life.  And  I think  it  more  for  the  people’s  be- 
nefit to  accustom  them  to  attend  their  pastor,  (and  it  is  much 
more  for  his,)  than  for  him  to  hunt  up  and  down  after  them, 
scarcely  knowing  w^here  or  when.  But  men’s  obstinacy  may 
make  that  necessary  which  is  inconvenient. 

2.  It  is  not  on  these  texts  in  question,  or  any  other,  that  I 
wholly  ground  this  duty ; though  supposing  there  were  no 
more  than  the  general  command  [on  which  we  have  been  in- 
sisting] of  “ taking  heed  to  all  the  flock,”  surely  this  were 
sufficient  to  convince  you  that  you  should  take  as  particular 
care  of  every  individual  as  you  can.  Must  I turn  to  my  Bi- 
ble to  show  a preacher  where  it  is  written  that  a man’s  soul 
is  of  more  worth  than  a world  ? Or  that  both  we,  and  all  we 
have,  are  God’s  ? Or  that  it  is  inhuman  cruelty  to  let  souls 


be  such,  that  1 would  not  wish  to  have  neglected  it,  for  all  the  riches 
m the  world.  We  spend  Monday  and  Tuesday  (from  the  morning 
almost  to  night)  in  the  work  ; taking  about  fifteen  or  sixteen  fami- 
lies in  a week,  that  we  may  go  through  the  parish  (in  which  there 
are  above  eight  hundred)  in  a year.  And  1 cannot  say  that  one  fami- 
ly hath  yet  refused  to  come  to  me,  or  that  many  persons  have  shifted 
it  off.  And  with  regard  to  most  of  them  that  come,  1 find  more  out- 
ward signs  of  success  [from  this  private  discourse  with  them],  than 
from  all  my  preaching  to  them. 

^ This  is  taken  frum  the  author’s  Appendix  to  the  2d  Edition,  in 
which  he  answers  many  other  objections,  which  are  either  too  weak 
to  bear  repeating,  or  too  peculiar  to  need  it. 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


315 


go  to  hell  for  fear  vve  and  our  families  should  live  somewhat 
the  harder '?  In  a word,  the  question  is,  Whether  you  are 
not  bound  to  do  the  best  you  can  to  save  the  souls  of  your 
people?  Do  this,  and  I desire  no  more.  But  do  you  think 
in  your  conscience  that  you  do  the  best  you  can,  if  you  neg- 
lect to  exhort,  instruct,  and  catechise  them  ? 

• 3.  To  say  the  present  times  require  less  diligence  than  the 
days  of  the  apostles,  savors  of  a man  locked  up  in  a study 
and  unacquainted  with  the  world.  Good  Lord  ! Are  there 
such  multitudes  round  about  us  who  are  ignorant  of  the  first 
principles  of  religion  ? Are  there  so  many  thousand  drown- 
ed in  presumption,  security  and  sensuality  ? So  many  drunk- 
ards, worldlings,  haters  and  scoffers  of  a holy  life  ? So  ma- 
ny dull,  ignorant,  scandalous  professors  ? So  many  trou- 
blers,  seducers  and  dividers  of  the  church  ? And  yet  is  the 
happiness  of  our  times  so  great,  that  we  may  excuse  our- 
selves from  personal  instruction  because  it  is  unnecessary  ? 
Look  more  without,  and  I warrant  you  that  you  will  not  see 
cause  to  spare  your  pains  for  want  of  work.  What  consci- 
entious minister  finds  not  work  enough  to  do  from  one  end 
of  the  year  to  the  other,  though  he  has  not  a hun- 
dred souls  to  take  care  of?  It  is  true  that  there  are  more 
professors  of  Christianity  in  our  day  than  in  the  apostle’s ; 
but  are  the  ungodly  the  less  miserable  for  that  profession,  or 
the  more  so  ? 

4.  As  to  the  objection  that  relates  to  the  proportion  of  time 
to  be  allotted  for  this  work,  etc.  I answer.  What  if  God  only 
bids  us  to  pray  without  ceasing,”  will  you  approve  of  those 
who  neglect  it  because  they  are  not  commanded  to  pray  morn- 
ing and  night,  or  in  the  family  ? Set  times  are  as  needful 
for  the  constant  performance  of  this  duty,  as  for  your  private 
or  family  duties,  your  lectures  or  your  studies.  When  you 
have  shown  me  a written  precept  for  these,  or  for  preaching 
twice  on  the  Lord’s  day,  then  I will  show  you  more  than  one 
for  the  things  in  question.  However,  I presume  not  to  im- 
pose an  unnecessary  task  on  any,  but  leave  it  to  your  pru- 
dence to  discern  and  determine  the  seasons  and  other  cir- 
cumstances of  your  duty. 


316 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

MISCELLANEOUS  DIRECTIONS  RESPECTING  THE  WHOLE  MINIS- 
TERIAL WORK.l 

[The  next  thing  proposed,  to  which  we  now  proceed,  was, 
fourthly,  to  give  some  miscellaneous  directions  for  the  more 
comfortable,  acceptable  and  useful  discharge  of  the  pastoral 
office  in  all  its  branches.] 

I.  Through  the  whole  course  of  your  ministry,  insist 
most  upon  the  greatest,  most  certain  and  most  necessary  things. 

If  we  can  teach  Christ  to  our  people,  we  teach  them  all. 
Get  them  well  to  heaven,  and  they  will  have  knowledge 
enough.  The  plainest  and  most  commonly  acknowledged 
truths,  are  what  men  live  most  upon ; these  are  the  great  in- 
struments in  destroying  sin,  and  in  raising  the  heart  to  God. 
We  should  always  have  our  people’s  necessities  in  our  eye. 
To  remember  that  “one  thing  is  needful,”  will  take  us  off 
from  needless  ornaments  and  unprofitable  controversies. 
Many  other  things  are  desirable  to  be  known,  but  these  must 
be  known,  or  else  our  people  are  undone  forever.  Necessity 
should  be  the  great  disposer  of  a minister’s  studies  and  labors. 
If  we  were  sufficient  for  everything,  we  might  fall  upon  ev- 
erything, and  take  in  order  the  whole  Encyclopaedia.  But 
life  is  short,  and  we  are  dull.  Eternal  things  are  necessary, 
and  the  souls  which  depend  on  our  teaching  are  precious. 
I confess  that  necessity  has  been  the  conductor  of  my  studies 
and  my  life.  It  chooses  what  books  I shall  read,  and  when, 
and  how  long.  It  chooses  my  text  and  makes  ^my  sermon, 
both  for  matter  and  manner,  as  far  as  I can  keep  out  my  own 
corruptions.  Though  I know  that  the  constant  expectation 
of  death  has  been  a great  cause  of  this  wdth  regard  to  myself, 
yet  I can  see  no  reason  why  the  most  healthful  man  should 
not  make  sure  of  the  necessaries  first;  considering  the  short- 
ness and  uncertainty  of  all  men’s  lives.  Who  can,  either  in 
study,  preaching  or  life,  be  employed  about  foreign  matters, 
when  he  knows  that  this  or  that  must  be  done  ? As  the  sol- 

^ N.  B.  “ The  sins  of  ministers,”  which  the  author  had  pointed  out 
in  a distinct  series  of  particulars,  are  introduced  in  this,  as  many  of 
the  thoughts  in  both  necessarily  coincided.  These  directions  stood 
in  different  parts  of  the  original  work,  but  it  seemed  most  natural  to 
place  them  together  here. 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


317 


dier  says,  Non  diu  disputandum,  sed  celeriter  et  fortiter 
dimicandum  ubi  urget  necessitas,’^  so  much  more  may  we, 
as  our  business  is  more  important.  Doubtless  this  is  the 
best  way  to  redeem  time,  to  spend  it  only  on  necessary  things ; 
and  I think  it  is  the  way  to  be  most  profitable  to  others, 
though  not  always  to  be  most  pleasing  and  applauded  ; be- 
cause through  men’s  frailty,  that  is  too  true  which  Seneca 
complains  of,  Nova  potius  miramur  quam  magna.” 

A preacher  must  be  often  upon  'the  same  things,  because 
the  matters  of  necessity  are  few.  This  we  should  not  avoid, 
in  order  to  satisfy  such  as  look  for  novelties,  though  we  should 
clothe  the  same  necessaries  with  a grateful  variety,  in  the 
manner  of  our  delivering  them.  Necessaries  are  common 
and  obvious ; for  superfluities  we  may  waste  our  time  and 
labor,  and  often  to  no  purpose.  The  great  volumes  and  te- 
dious controversies  that  so  much  trouble  us  and  waste  our  time, 
usually  made  up  more  of  opinion  than  necessary  truths.!  You 
would  choose  those  authors  to  read  for  yourselves,  which  tell 
you  what  you  know  not,  and  treat  of  the  most  necessary 
things  in  the  clearest  manner,  though  it  be  in  the  most  bar- 
barous language ; rather  than  those  which  most  learnedly, 
and  in  the  most  elegant,  grateful  language,  tell  you  that  which 
is  false  and  vain,  and  magno  conatu  nihil  dicere.”^  And 
surely  you  should  act  on  the  same  principle  in  teaching  oth- 
er men,  as  in  studying  for  yourself.  They  are  commonly 
empty,  ignorant  men,  destitute  of  the  matter  and  substance 
of  true  learning,  who  are  over-curious  about  words  and  orna- 
ments, who  affect  to  be  esteemed  what  they  are  not,  having 
no  other  way  to  procure  that  esteem ; whereas  the  oldest, 
most  experienced  and  most  learned  men  abound  in  substan- 
tial verities,  usually  delivered  in  the  plainest  dress.  Which 
brings  me  to  add, 

II.  All  our  teaching  should  be  as  plain  and  evident  as  we 
can  make  it. 

This  best  suits  a teacher’s  ends.  He  that  would  be  un- 


^ Necessitas  brevibus  clauditur  terminis ; opinio  nullis. — Marsil. 
Ficinus. 

^ Sunt  qui  scire  volunt  eo  fine  tantum  ut  sciant,  et  turpis  curiosi- 
tas  est ; et  sunt  qui  scire  volunt  ut  scientiam  suam  vendant,  et  turpis 
quaestusest;  sunt  qui  scire  volunt  ut  sciantur  ipsi,  et  turpis  vanitas 
est ; sed  sunt  qui  scire  volunt  ut  aedificentur,  et  prudentia  est ; et 
sunt  quoque  qui  scire  volunt  ut  aedificent,  et  charitas  esi.^Bernard^ 
Serm.  in  Cant.  26. 


27* 


318 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


derstood,  must  make  it  his  business  to  be  understood,  by 
speaking  to  the  capacities  of  his  hearers.  Truth  loves  the 
light,  and  is  most  beautiful  when  most  naked.  He  is  an  en- 
emy that  hides  the  truth  ; and  he  is  a hypocrite,  who  does 
this  under  a pretence  of  revealing  it.  Highly  ornamented 
sermons,  (like  painted  glass  in  windows,  which  keeps  out 
the  light,)  are  too  often  the  marks  of  hypocrisy.  If  you 
would  not  teach  men,  what  do  you  in  the  pulpit  ? If  you 
would,  why  do  you  not  speak  so  as  to  be  understood  ? For 
a man  purposely  to  cloud  his  matter  in  strange  words,  and 
hide  his  mind  from  the  people  whom  he  pretends  to  instruct, 
is  the  way  to  make  fools  admire  his  profound  learning,  but 
wise  men,  his  folly,  pride  and  hypocrisy.  Some  persons  pur- 
posely conceal  their  sentiments,  through  a pretence  to  neces- 
sity, because  of  men’s  prejudices,  and  the  unpreparedness  of 
common  understandings  to  receive  the  truth.  But  truth 
overcomes  prejudice  by  mere  light  of  evidence.  There  is 
no  better  way  to  make  a good  cause  prevail,  than  to  make  it 
as  plain  and  as  thoroughly  understood  as  we  can  ; this  will 
properly  dispose  an  unprepared  mind.  He  that  is  not  able  to 
deliver  his  matter  plainly  to  others,  (I  mean  as  plainly  as  the 
nature  of  it  will  bear,  and  supposing  them  to  have  capacities 
for  understanding  it,)  shows  that  he  has  not  well  digested  it 
himself. 

HI.  We  should  always  suit  our  instructions,  and  our  be- 
havior to  the  capacities  and  circumstances  of  those  with  whom 
we  have  to  do. 

Our  work  must  be  carried  on  prudently,  orderly  and  by 
degrees.  Milk  must  go  before  strong  meat.  The  founda- 
tion must  be  laid  before  we  can  build  upon  it.  Children 
must  not  be  dealt  with  as  men  at  age.  A person  must  be 
brought  into  a state  of  grace,  before  we  can  expect  from  him 
the  works  of  grace.  The  stewards  of  God’s  household  must 
‘ give  to  each  their  portion  in  due  season,’  Luke  12:  42.  We 
must  not  go  beyond  the  capacities  of  our  people,  nor  teach 
them  the  perfection,  who  have  not  learned  the  principles. 
There  must  be  a prudent  mixture  of  severity  and  mildness, 
both  in  our  preaching  and  discipline;  each  must  be  predom- 
inant according  to  the  quality  of  the  person  or  the  matter  we 
have  in  hand.  If  there  be  no  severity,  our  reproofs  will  be 
despised ; if  it  be  all  severity,  we  shall  be  esteemed  usurpers 
of  dominiom 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


319 


IV.  Every  part  of  our^work  must  be  managed  with  great 
humility. 

Pride  is  one  of  the  most  heinous,  and  yet  one  of  our  most 
palpable  sins.  It  discovers  itself  in  many  by  their  dress  ; it 
chooses  their  cloth  and  their  fashion,  and  dresses  their  hair 
and  their  habit  according  to  the  taste.  And  1 wish  this  were 
all,  or  the  worst ; but  alas,  how  frequently  does  it  go  with  us 
to  our  studies  ! How  often  does  it  choose  our  subject,  and 
how  much  oftener  our  words  and  ornaments ! Sometimes  it 
puts  in  toys  and  trifles  under  a pretence  of  laudable  embel- 
lishments, and  often  pollutes  instead  of  polishing.  It  makes 
us  speak  to  our  people  what  they  do  not  understand,  [merely 
to  display  our  learning].  It  takes  off  the  edge  of  a discourse 
under  a pretence  of  filing  off  the  roughness  and  superfluity. 
If  we  have  a plain  and  cutting  passage,  it  throws  it  away  as 
too  rustical  or  ungrateful.  Now,  though  our  matter  be  of 
God,  if  our  dressing  and  manner  and  end  be  from  Satan,  (as 
is  the  case  when  pride  has  the  ordering  of  it,)  we  have  no 
great  reason  to  expect  success.  Yet  thus  does  pride  make 
many  a man’s  sermon.  And  when  they  have  composed  the 
discourse,  it  goes  with  them  into  the  pulpit,  it  forms  their 
tone,  it  animates  their  delivery,  it  takes  them  off  from  what 
would  be  displeasing,  and  directs  them  in  the  pursuit  of 
vain  applause.  In  short,  instead  of  seeking  God’s  glory  and 
denying  themselves,  it  makes  them,  both  in  studying  and 
preaching,  to  seek  themselves  and  deny  God.  When  they 
should  ask,  ‘‘  what  shall  I say,  and  how  shall  I say  it  to  please 
God  best,  and  do  most  good?” — pride  makes  them  ask, 
‘‘  what  shall  I say,  and  how  shall  I deliver  it,  to  be  thought  a 
learned,  able  preacher,  and  to  be  applauded  by  all  that  hear 
me  ?”  When  the  sermon  is  done,  pride  goes  home  with 
them,  and  makes  them,  more  eager  to  know  wheth- 
er they  were  applauded,  than  whether  they  did  any 
good  to  the  souls  of  men.  Were  it  not  for  shame,  they 
could  willingly  ask  people  how  they  liked  them,  to  extort 
their  commendations.  If  they  perceive  that  they  are  highly 
thought  of,  they  rejoice  as  having  attained  their  end  ; if  not, 
they  are  displeased  as  having  lost  the  prize. 

But  this  is  not  all ; some  ministers  are  so  set  upon  a pop- 
ular air,  and  having  the  highest  place  in  the  esteem  of  men, 
that  they  envy  the  abilities  and  names  of  their  brethren  who 
are  preferred  to  them  ; as  if  all  were  taken  from  their  praise, 
that  is  given  to  another’s,  and  as  if  God  had  bestowed  his 


320 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


gifts  upon  them  as  the  mere  ornaments  of  their  persons,  that 
they  might  walk  as  men  of  reputation  in  the  world,  and  as  if 
all  the  gifts  of  other  ministers  were  to  be  trodden  down  and 
vilified,  if  they  should  stand  in  the  way  of  their  honor. 
Strange ! that  one  workman  should  malign  another,  because 
he  helps  him  to  do  his  master’s  work ! Yet  how  common  is 
this  heinous  crime  among  men  of  ability  and  eminence  in 
the  church  ! They  will  secretly  blot  the  reputation  of  such 
as  oppose  their  own,  and  will  at  least  raise  suspicions,  where 
they  cannot  fasten  accusations.  Nay,  some  go  so  far  as  to 
be  unwilling  that  any  ministers  abler  than  themselves  should 
come  into  their  pulpits,  lest  they  should  be  applauded  above 
themselves.  It  is  a surprising  thing  that  any  man  who  has  the 
least  fear  of  God,  should  so  envy  his  gifts  in  others,  as  that 
he  had  rather  his  carnal  hearers  should  remain  unconverted, 
than  that  they  should  be  converted  by  another  person  who 
may  be  preferred  to  himself.  Yet  this  sin  does  so  prevail, 
that  it  is  difficult  to  get  two  ministers  to  live  together  in  love 
and  quietness,  unanimously  to  carry  on  the  work  of  God. 
Unless  one  of  them  be  greatly  inferior  to  the  other,  and  con- 
tent to  be  so  esteemed,  and  to  be  governed  by  him,  they  are 
contending  for  precedency,  envying  each  other’s  interest,  and 
behaving  with  strangeness  and  jealousy  towards  one  another, 
to  the  shame  of  their  profession  and  the  injury  of  the  congre- 
gation. Nay,  so  great  is  the  pride  of  some  ministers,  that 
when  they  might  have  an  equal  assistant,  to  further  the  work 
of  God,  they  had  rather  take  all  the  burden  upon  themselves 
though  more  than  they  can  bear,  than  that  any  should  share 
with  them  in  their  honor,  or  lest  they  should  diminish  their 
own  interest  in  the  people.  It  is  owing  to  pride,  that  many 
ministers  make  so  little  proficiency  ; they  are  too  proud  to 
learn.  It  is  through  pride  also  that  men  so  magnify  their 
own  opinions,  and  are  as  censorious  of  any  that  differ  from 
them  in  lesser  things  as  if  their  sentiments  were  the  rules  of 
the  church’s  faith.  While  we  cry  down  papal  infallibility, 
too  many  of  us  would  be  Popes  ourselves,  and  would  have 
everything  determined  by  our  judgments,  as  if  we  were  infal- 
lible. And  so  high  are  our  spirits,  that  when  any  reprove  or 
contradict  us,  (though  they  have  sufficient  reason  to  do  it,) 
we  are  commonly  impatient  both  of  the  matter  and  the  man- 
ner. We  love  the  man  that  will  say  as  we  say,  and  promote 
our  reputation,  though  in  other  respects  he  be  less  worthy 
our  esteem ; but  he  is  ungrateful  to  us,  who  differs  from  us. 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


321 


and  contradicts  us,  and  who  plainly  tells  us  of  our  faults,  es- 
pecially in  relation  to  our  public  performances.  Many, 
through  their  pride,  imagine  that  all  those  despise  them  who 
do  not  admire  all  they  say,  and  submit  to  their  judgments  in  the 
most  palpable  mistakes ; thus  have  they  dishonored  them- 
selves by  idolising  their  honor,  and  publicly  proclaimed  their 
own  shame.  From  pride  proceed  all  the  envy,  contention 
and  unpeaceableness  of  ministers,  which  are  the  hindrances 
to  all  reformation  ; all  would  lead,  but  few  will  follow  or  con- 
cur. Yea,  hence  proceed  schisms  and  apostasies,  as  did  for- 
mer persecutions,  arrogant  usurpations  and  impositions.  In 
short,  it  is  pride  at  the  root  that  nourishes  all  our  other  sins, 
and  this  virtually  contains  them  all. 

Give  me  leave,  brethren,  to  expostulate  with  you  and  my 
own  heart  with  regard  to  this  sin,  that  we  may  see  the  evil  of 
it  and  be  reformed.  Pride  is  the  sin  of  devils,  the  first  born 
of  hell,  it  is  that  wherein  the  devil’s  image  does  principally 
consist.  It  is  an  intolerable  evil  in  a man  that  is  so  much 
engaged  against  him  as  we  are.  Pride  ill  becomes  those 
that  are  to  lead  men  in  such  a humble  way  to  heaven.  We 
had  need  to  take  care,  lest  when  we  have  brought  others 
thither,  the  gate  should  prove  too  strait  for  ourselves.  God, 
who  thrust  out  a proud  angel,  will  not  there  entertain  a proud 
preacher  as  such.  The  very  design  of  the  gospel  tends  to 
self-abasement.  The  work  of  grace  is  begun  and  carried  on 
in  humiliation.  Humility  is  not  the  mere  ornament  of  a 
Christian,  but  it  is  an  essential  part  of  the  new  creature.  All 
that  will  be  Christ’s  disciples  must  ‘ come  to  him  and  learn;’ 
their  lesson  is,  to  be  ‘‘  meek  and  lowly  in  heart,”  Matt.  11:  28, 
29.  How  many  admirable  precepts  and  examples  has  our 
Lord  and  master  given  us  to  this  end ! Can  we  once  conceive 
of  him  as  washing  and  wiping  his  servants’  feet,  and  yet  be 
haughty  and  domineering  ? Shall  he  converse  with  the 
meanest,  and  shall  we  avoid  them  as  contemptible,  and  think 
none  but  the  rich  and  honorable  fit  for  our  society  ? Many 
of  us  are  oftener  found  in  the  houses  of  gentlemen,  than  in 
the  poor  cottages  of  such  as  most  need  our  help  ; as  if  we 
had  taken  the  charge  only  of  the  souls  of  the  rich.  Me- 
thinks  we  should  remember  our  title  as  ministers,  which, 
though  the  popish  priests  disdain,  we  do  not.  We  should 
not  speak  proudly  or  disrespectfully  to  any,  but  should  carry 
ourselves  meekly  and  courteously  to  all,  remembering  that  we 
are  obliged  to  be  “ the  servants  of  all.”  We  should  not  be 


322 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


Strange  to  the  poorest  and  meanest  of  the  flock,  but  should 
‘ condescend  to  men  of  low  estate’  as  our  equals  in  Christ. 
Familiarity  improved  to  holy  ends  is  necessary,  and  may  do 
abundance  of  good  ; and  surely  a kind,  winning  carriage  is  a 
very  cheap  way  of  doing  it.  We  should  so  teach  others,  as 
to  be  ready  to  learn  of  any ; thus  we  may  both  teach  and 
learn  at  once  not  proudly  venting  our  own  conceits,  and 
disdaining  all  that  any  way  contradict  them,  as  if  we  (having 
attained  the  height  of  knowledge)  were  destined  to  the  chair, 
and  all  other  men  were  to  sit  at  our  feet. 

Alas,  brethren  ! what  is  it  that  we  have  to  be  so  proud  of? 
Of  our  bodies  ? They  are  made  of  the  same  materials  as  the 
meanest  of  our  fellow  creatures.  Is  it  of  our  graces  ? The 
more  we  are  proud  of  them,  the  less  have  we  to  be  proud  of, 
since  much  of  the  nature  of  grace  is  in  humility.  Is  it  of 
our  learning  and  abilities  ; Surely,  if  we  have  any  knowledge 
at  all,  we  must  know  much  reason  to  be  humble.  If  we  know 
more  than  others,  we  must  know  more  reason  to  be  humble 
than  they  do.  But  how  little  is  it  that  the  most  learned  know, 
in  comparison  with  what  they  are  ignorant  of!  And  to  know 
how  ignorant  we  are,  and  how  far  things  are  beyond  our 
reach,  one  would  imagine,  could  be  no  great  cause  of  pride. 
It  is  our  very  business  to  preach  humility ; it  is  therefore 
very  unfit  that  we  should  be  proud.  Must  we  study  and 
preach  humility,  and  must  we  not  possess  and  practise  it  ? 
A proud  preacher  of  humility,  is  at  least  a self-condemning 
man.  And  I beseech  you  to  consider,  whether  it  will  save 
us  to  speak  well  of  the  grace  we  do  not  possess ; whether 
sincerity  can  consist  with  allowed  pride,  and  whether  we  can 
be  saved  without  humility,  any  more  than  without  temperance 
or  chastity. 

Consider  further,  brethren,  I beseech  you,  what  baits  there 
are  in  the  ministerial  office,  to  entice  to  vanity,  and  what 
temptations  to  pride  lie  in  our  way,  that  you  may  be  more 
upon  your  guard  against  it.  What  a snare  may  it  prove,  to 
have  the  fame  of  godly  men  and  of  learned,  zealous  preach- 

^ We  may  say  of  ministers  in  general  what  Augustine  said  of  the 
aged  of  them;  “ Etsi  magis  decet  docere  quam  discere,  magis  tamen 
decet  discere  quam  ignorare.” 

“ Ah  omnibus  libenter  disce  quod  tu  nescis  ; quia  hurnilitas  com- 
mune tibi  facere  potest,  quod  natura  cuique  pioprium  fecit ; sapien- 
tior  omnibus  eris,  si  ab  omnibus  discere  volueris  : qui  ab  omnibus 
accipiunt,  omnibus  ditiores  sunt;”— Hugo. 


THE  llEFORMED  PASTOR. 


323 


ers ! How  pleasing  is  it  to  have  the  people  crowd  to  hear  us, 
and  to  be  able  to  command  their  judgments  and  affections! 
Especially  to  be  renowned  through  the  land  for  the  highest 
spiritual  excellences!  To  have  the  people  plead  for  us  as  their 
felicity,  and  call  us  the  pillars  of  the  church  of  God,  and 
their  fathers,  ‘‘  the  chariots  and  horsemen  of  Israel  !•’  Alas  ! 
brethren,  a little  grace  will  serve  to  make  you  join  with  the 
forwardest  of  those  men  that  have  these  inducements  and  en- 
couragements. Nay,  pride  may  do  it  without  any  special 
grace.i  O ! therefore,  be  jealous  of  yourselves,  and  in  all 
your  studies  be  sure  to  study  humility.  ‘ He  that  exalteth 
himself  shall  be  brought  low;  whereas  he  that  humbleth  him- 
self shall  be  exalted,’  Luke  14  : 11.  I commonly  observe, 
that  almost  all  men,  both  good  and  bad,  loathe  the  proud  and 
love  the  humble ; so  far  does  pride  defeat  its  own  ends.  We 
have  cause  to  be  the  more  jealous  of  ourselves,  because  pride 
is  a vice  which  is  most  deeply  rooted  in  us,  and  with  as  much 
difficulty  as  any,  extirpated  from  the  soul.  Again, 

V.  In  every  part  of  our  work,  we  should  be  serious, 
affectionate,  zealous  and  reverent. 

The  importance  of  our  matter  condemns  coldness  and 
sleepy  dulness.  Our  spirits  should  be  well  awakened,  that  we 
may  be  fit  to  awaken  others.  If  our  words  be  not  sharp  and 
piercing,  they  will  hardly  be  felt  by  stony  hearts.  To  speak 
slightly  and  coldly  about  heavenly  things,  is  as  bad  as  to  say 
nothing  of  them.  All  our  work  must  be  managed  reverently, 
as  becomes  them  that  believe  the  presence  of  God ; not 
treating  holy  things  as  if  they  were  common.  The  more  of 
God  appears  in  our  duties,  the  more  authority  will  they  have 
with  men.  Reverence  is  that  affection  of  the  soul  which 
proceeds  from  deep  apprehensions  of  God,  and  denotes  that 
the  mind  is  much  conversant  with  him.  To  manifest  irrever- 
ence about  the  things  of  God,  is  so  far  to  manifest  hypocrisy, 
and  that  the  heart  agrees  not  with  the  tongue.  I know  not^ 
how  it  is  with  other  persons ; but  the  most  reverent  preacher, 

^ [A  Jesuit,  who  had  been  employed  twenty  years  in  the  missions  of 
Canada,  owned  privately  to  his  friend,  that,  while  he  did  not  believe 
in  the  being  of  a God,  he  had  faced  death  twenty  times  for  the  sake 
of  the  religion  which  he  preached  to  the  savages  with  great  success. 
His  friend,  hereupon,  represented  to  him  the  inconsistency  of  his 
zeal  : “ Ah!”  replied  the  missionary,  you  have  no  idea  of  the  plea- 
sure which  is  felt  in  commanding  the  attention  of  twenty  thousand 
people,  and  in  persuading  them  to  what  we  believe  not  ourselves.” 
D’Alembert’s  Account  of  the  Jesuits.] 


324 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


who  speaks  as  if  he  saw  the  face  of  God,  does  more  affect  my 
heart,  though  with  common  words,  than  an  irreverent  man 
with  the  most  accurate  preparations,  though  he  bawl  it  out 
with  ever  so  much  seeming  earnestness.  If  reverence  be  not 
equal  to  fervency,  it  has  but  little  effect.  Of  all  preaching  in 
the  world  I hate  that  most  which  tends  to  make  the  hearers 
laugh,  or  to  affect  their  minds  with  such  levity  as  stage-plays 
do,  instead  of  affecting  them  with  a holy  reverence  of  the 
name  of  God.i  We  should  suppose  (as  it  were)  when  we 
draw  near  him  in  holy  things,  that  we  saw  the  throne  of  God 
and  the  millions  of  glorious  angels  attending  him,  that  we 
may  be  awed  with  his  majesty,  lest  we  profane  his  service  and 
take  his  name  in  vain. 

VI.  All  our  work  should  be  done  spiritually ; as  by  men 
possessed  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  actuated  by  him. 

We  should  be  men  that  “ savor  the  things  of  the  spirit.^' 
There  is  in  some  men’s  preaching  a spiritual  strain  which 
spiritual  hearers  can  discern  and  relish ; whereas  in  others, 
this  sacred  tincture  is  so  wanting,  that  even  when  they  speak 
of  spiritual  things,  the  manner  is  such  as  if  they  were  com- 
mon matters.  Our  evidence  and  ornaments  ought  to  be 
spiritual ; rather  borrowed  from  the  Scriptures  (with  a cau- 
tious, subservient  use  of  human  writings,)  than  from  the  au- 
thority of  Aristotle,  or  any  other  man.  “ The  wisdom  of  the 
world”  must  not  be  magnified  against  the  wisdom  of  God.’^ 
Philosophy  must  be  taught  to  stoop  and  serve,  while  faith 
bears  the  principal  sway.  The  great  scholars  in  Aristotle’s 
school,  must  take  heed  of  glorying  too  much  in  their  master, 
and  despising  those  who  are  beneath  them,  lest  they  them- 
selves prove  lower  in  the  school  of  Christ,  and  least  in  the 
kingdom  of  God,”  while  they  would  appear  great  in  the  eyes 
of  men.  As  wise  a man  as  any  of  them  would  ‘‘  glory  in 
nothing  but  in  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  determined  to  know 
nothing  but  him  crucified.”^  The  most  learned  men  should 
think  of  this.  Let  all  writers  have  their  due  esteem,  but 
compare  none  of  them  with  the  word  of  God.  We  will  not 
refuse  their  service,  but  we  must  abhor  them  as  competitors. 
God  is  the  best  teacher  of  his  own  nature  and  will.  It  is  the 


1 Docente  in  ecclesia  te,  non  clamor  populi,  sed  gemitus  suscite- 
tur  ; lacrymae  auditorum  laudes  tuae  sunt. — Jerome. 

^ Deus  primo  collegit  indoctos  ; post  mod  am  philosophos,  et  non 
per  oratores  docuit  piscatores,  sed  per  piscatores,  subegit  oratores. 
— Greg.  M.  Moral.  L.  33. 


TflE  REFORMED  FASTOR. 


325 


sign  of  a distempered  heart,  when  a person  loses  the  relish 
for  scripture  excellency.  There  is  in  a spiritual  heart  a 
connaturality  to  the  word  of  God,  because  this  was  the  means 
of  his  regeneration.  The  word  is  that  seal  which  made  all 
the  holy  impressions  that  are  in  the  hearts  of  true  believers, 
and  stamped  the  image  of  God  upon  them  ; they  must  there- 
fore love  that  word  as  long  as  they  live. 

VII.  The  whole  of  our  ministry  must  be  carried  on  in  a 
tender  love  to  our  people. 

We  must  let  them  see  that  nothing  pleases  us  but  what 
profits  them;  that  what  does  them  good,  does  us  good,  and 
that  nothing  troubles  us  more  than  their  hurt.  “ Bishops 
(as  Jerome  says)  are  not  lords,  but  fathers;”  and  therefore 
must  be  affected  towards  their  people  as  their  children ; yea 
the  tenderest  love  of  the  mother  should  not  surpass  theirs. 
We  must  even  “ travail  in  birth  for  them  till  Christ  be  form- 
ed in  them.”  We  should  convince  them  that  we  care  for  no 
outward  thing,  not  money  nor  liberty  nor  credit  nor  life  it- 
self, in  comparison  with  their  salvation.  When  your  people 
see  that  you  unfeignedly  love  them,  they  will  hear  anything 
and  bear  anything.^  We  ourselves  should  put  up  with  a 
blow  given  us  in  love,  sooner  than  with  a hard  word  given 
us  in  anger  and  malice.  Most  men  judge  of  advice,  as  they 
judge  of  the  affection  of  him  who  gives  it.  O therefore  see 
to  it  that  you  feel  a tender  love  to  your  people  in  your  breast, 
and  let  them  feel  it  in  your  speeches,  and  see  it  in  your  con- 
duct. Let  them  see  that  you  spend  and  are  spent  for  their 
sakes,”  that  all  you  do,  is  not  for  any  ends  of  your  own,  but 
for  them.  To  this  end,  works  of  charity  will  be  necessary, 
as  far  as  your  circumstances  allow.  [But  more  of  this  un- 
der the  next  particular.] 

Be  sure  that  your  love  be  not  carnal,  flowing  from  pride, 
and  that  you  do  not  appear  as  one  that  is  a suitor  for  him- 
self, rather  than  for  Christ;  who  loves  because  he  is  beloved, 
or  pretends  it,  that  he  may  be.  Take  heed  that  you  do  not 
connive  at  men’s  sins  under  a pretence  of  love  ; for  that 
were  to  contradict  the  very  nature  and  ends  of  it.^  Friend- 
ship must  be  cemented  by  piety.  A wicked  man  can  be  no 
true  friend.  If  you  befriend  the  sins  of  the  wicked,  you 
show  that  you  are  such  yourselves.  By  favoring  their  sin, 


* Dilige  et  die  quodcunqiie  voles. — 

2 Amici  vitia  si  feras,  facis  tna. — Stneca. 

28 


326 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


you  discover  your  enmity  to  God ; and  then  how  can  you 
‘‘  love  your  brother  V'  If  you  be  their  best  friend,  help  them 
against  their  worst  enemies.  Pretend  not  to  love  them  if 
you  favor  their  sins,  and  do  not  seek  their  salvation.  Do  not 
think  all  sharpness  inconsistent  with  love;  parents  will  cor- 
rect their  children,  and  God  himself  will  ‘‘  chasten  every  son 
that  he  loveth.^i  Next  to  this  let  me  add 

VIII.  Take  care  that  your  worldly  and  fleshly  interests  do 
not  too  much  prevail  against  the  interest  of  Christ  and  the 
good  of  souls. 

Never  be  guilty  of  temporizing  for  the  sake  of  gain.  It  is 
one  of  the  greatest  reproaches  upon  the  ministry,  that  so 
many  of  us  do  so  much  suit  themselves  to  the  party  that  is 
most  likely  to  suit  their  ends,  and  promote  their  worldly  ad- 
vantage. This  often  occasions  our  enemies  to  say,  that 
reputation,  and  preferment  are  our  religion  and  our  reward. 
Never  let  a regard  to  your  worldly  interest  prevent  your  dis- 
charge of  any  part  of  your  duty,  even  though  the  most  dis- 
agreeable to  your  people,  and  though  it  should  hinder  them 
from  paying  their  dues.  I find  alas ! that  money  is  too 
strong  an  argument  for  some  ministers  to  answer,  who  can 
proclaim  ‘the  love  of  it  to  be  the  root  of  all  evil,^  and  can 
make  long  orations  on  the  danger  of  covetousness.  If  it  was 
so  heinous  a sin  in  Simon  Magus  to  offer  to  di/i/  the  gifts  of 
God  with  money,  w’hat  must  it  be  to  sdl  his  gifts,  his  cause, 
and  the  souls  of  men  for  money  1 and  wdiat  reason  have  such 
to  fear,  lest  ‘ their  money  perish  with  them  !’  Further, 

Be  sure  that  your  concern  about  your  temporal  interest, 
does  not  prevent  your  wmrks  of  charity.  Bare  words  will 
hardly  convince  men  that  you  have  any  love  to  them.  Works 
of  charity  do  most  powerfully  remove  rnen^s  prejudices,  and 
open  their  ears  to  the  words  of  piety.  If  they  see  that  you 
are  addicted  to  do  good,  they  will  more  easily  believe  that 
you  are  good,  and  that  it  is  good  to  which  you  would  persuade 
them.  Go  to  the  poor  to  see  what  they  want,  and  at  once 
show  your  compassion  to  soul  and  body.  Buy  them  cate- 
chisms and  other  small  books  that  are  likely  to  do  them 
good.  Stretch  your  purse  to  the  utmost  of  your  pow'er,  and 
do  all  the  good  you  can.  I w^ould  put  no  one  upon  extremes; 
it  is  doubtless  every  man’s  duty  to  “ provide  for  those  of  his 


^ Melius  est  cum  severitate  diligere,  quam  cum  lenitate  decijwre. 


THE  REFORMED  TASTOR. 


327 


own  house.”  But  ministers  should  educate  their  children  as 
other  persons  in  low  circumstances  do,  that  they  may  be  able 
to  get  their  own  livings  in  some  honest  trade  or  employment, 
without  other  great  provisions.  You  are  bound  to  educate 
them  so  as  they  may  be  capable  of  doing  the  most  service  for 
God ; but  not  to  leave  them  rich.  You  should  not  forbear 
necessary  works  of  charity,  merely  to  make  a larger  provi- 
sion for  them.  A truly  charitable,  self-denying  heart,  that 
hath  devoted  itself  and  all  it  hath  to  God,  would  be  the  best 
judge  of  due  proportions ; would  see  which  way  of  expense 
is  likely  to  do  God  the  greatest  service,  and  would  cheerful- 
ly take  that.  Though  I would  not  have  men  lie  under  strong 
temptations  to  incontinency,  yet  I confess  it  seems  hard  that 
they  can  do  no  more  to  mortify  the  flesh,  that  they  may  live 
in  a single,  freer  condition,  and  have  none  of  these  tempta- 
tions from  wives  and  children,  to  hinder  them  from  promot- 
ing the  ends  of  their  ministry  by  w'orks  of  charity.  It  is  a 
pity  that  in  a better  cause,  we  no  more  imitate  the  papists  in 
wisdom  and  self-denial,  where  it  might  be  done.^  But  if 
ministers  must  marry,  they  should  marry  such  as  can  main- 
tain themselves  and  their  children,  and  so  devote  as  much 
as  they  can  of  the  church’s  means,  to  the  church’s  service. 
But  in  this  case,  flesh  and  blood  make  even  good  men  so 
partial,  that  they  sometimes  look  upon  duties,  (and  duties  of 
very  great  importance,)  to  be  extremes.  The  flesh  will  tell 
us  that  we  must  have  a competency ; and  many  pious  men’s 
competency  is  but  little  below  the  rich  man’s  rates.  If  they 
be  not  clothed  with  the  best,  and  fare  not  sumptuously 
every  day,”  they  have  not  a competency.  Brethren,  think 
not  of  being  rich.  Seek  not  great  things  for  yourselves  or 
your  posterity.  A man  that  preaches  an  immortal  crown  of 
glory,  must  not  seek  much  after  transitory  vanity.  He  that 
teaches  others  the  contempt  of  riches,  must  himself  contemn 
them,  and  show  it  by  his  life.  He  that  recommends  self- 
denial  and  mortification,  must  practise  these  himself  in  the 
eyes  of  the  world,  if  he  would  have  his  doctrine  prosper. 
All  Christians,  with  all  they  have,  are  consecrated  to  their 

master’s  use:”  but  ministers,  as  they  are  doubly  devoted  to 

^ The  author  has  considered  this  point  more  particularly  in  an- 
other place,  though  his  advice  was,  in  this  instance,  contradicted  by 
his  example.  There  are,  however,  in  the  chapter  referred  to,  many 
hints,  in  relation  to  matrimony,  less  liable  to  dispute  than  the  passage 
in  question. 


328 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


God,  are  doubly  obliged  to  honor  him  with  their  substance. 
That  man  who  has  anything  in  ihe  world  so  dear  to  him 
that  he  cannot  spare  it  for  Christ,  if  he  calls  for  it,  is  no  true 
Christian.  What  if  you  impoverish  yourselves  to  do  others 
good,  will  it  be  loss  or  gain?  If  you  believe  that  God  is 
your  safest  purse-bearer,  and  that  to  expend  in  his  service  is 
the  greatest  usury,  show  your  people  that  you  do  believe  it. 
Do  not  take  it  as  an  undoing  to  “ make  to  you  friends  of  the 
Mammon  of  unrighteousness,  and  to  lay  up  for  yourselves 
treasures  in  heaven,’’  though  you  leave  yourselves  but  little 
on  earth. 

O what  abundance  of  good  might  ministers  do,  if  they 
would  but  live  in  a contempt  of  the  world,  the  riches,  and 
glories  of  it,  and  expend  all  they  have  for  their  master’s  use! 
This  would  unlock  more  hearts  for  the  reception  of  their 
doctrine  than  ail  their  oratory  will  do.  Without  this,  singu- 
larity in  religion  will  seem  but  hypocrisy,  and  perhaps  is 
nothing  more.  Though  we  need  not  do  as  the  papists,  who 
betake  themselves  to  monasteries,  and  cast  away  all  their 
properly,  yet  we  must  have  nothing  but  what  we  haveybr 
God,  The  world  perhaps  will  expect  more  from  us  than  we 
have;  but  if  we  cannot  answer  the  expectations  of  the  un- 
reasonable, let  us  do  what  we  can  to  answer  the  expectations 
of  God,  and  to  satisfy  conscience  and  good  men.  Those 
that  have  a large  income  must  increase  their  charity  in  pro- 
portion. If  you  are  not  able  to  do  many  acts  of  charity, 
show  that  you  are  willing,  if  you  had  ability,  by  doing  that 
sort  of  good  you  can. 

IX.  Let  me  recommend  to  you  tlie  cultivation  and  exer- 
cise of  patience,  as  a necessary  concomitant  of  your  work. 

We  must  bear  with  many  abuses  and  injuries  from  those 
for  whom  we  are  doing  good.  When  we  have  studied  for 
them  and  prayed  for  them,  when  we  have  exhorted  and 
beseeched  them  with  all  condescension,  when  we  have  given 
them  all  we  are  able,  have  spent  ourselves  for  them,  and  ten- 
dered them  as  if  they  had  been  our  children,  we  must  expect 
that  many  will  requite  us  with  scorn,  hatred  and  contempt  ; 
that  they  will  cast  our  kindness  in  our  faces  with  disdain, 
and  take  us  for  their  ‘‘  enemies  because  we  tell  them  the 
truth  and  that  ‘ the  more  we  love  them,  the  less  shall  we 
be  beloved.’  All  this  must  be  patiently  endured,  and  still 
we  must  unweariedly  hold  out  in  doing  them  good;  ‘‘in 
meekness  instructing  those  that  oppose  themselves,  if  perad- 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


329 


venture  God  will  give  them  repentance.”  Though  they 
scornfully  reject  our  teaching,  and  bid  us  look  to  ourselves, 
still  we  must  persevere.  We  have  to  deal  with  distracted 
men,  who  will  fly  in  the  face  of  their  physician ; but  we 
must  not  therefore  neglect  the  cure.  He  is  very  unfit  to  be 
a physician,  who  will  be  driven  away  from  a frantic  patient 
by  foul  words.  It  is  not  to  be  expected  that  fools  should 
make  us  as  grateful  returns  for  our  care  over  them,  as  wise 
men.  But  alas!  how  sadly  do  most  ministers  come  off  in 
this  part  of  their  trial  ? When  sinners  reproach  and  slander 
them  for  their  love,  what  heart-risings  will  there  be!  How 
will  the  remnants  of  the  old  Adam  (pride  and  passion) 
struggle  against  the  meekness  and  patience  of  the  ‘‘  new 
man  !” 

X.  In  all  our  work  we  should  be  as  peaceable  as  we  can  ; 
we  should  studiously  promote  union  and  communion  among 
ourselves,  and  the  unity  and  peace  of  the  churches  commit- 
ted to  our  care. 

We  must  be  sensible  how  necessary  this  is  to  the  prosperity 
of  the  whole  church,  the  strengthening  of  the  common  cause, 
the  good  of  the  particular  members  of  our  flock,  and  the 
further  enlargement  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  Ministers 
therefore  should  feel  very  sensibly  when  the  church  is  wound- 
ed, and  should  be  so  far  from  being  leaders  in  divisions,  that 
they  should  consider  it  as  an  important  part  of  their  work  to 
prevent  and  heal  them.  They  should  not  only  hearken  to 
motions  for  unity,  but  should  study  day  and  night  to  find  out 
means  to  close  breaches,  and  should  also  propose  and  prose- 
cute them.  Instead  of  quarrelling  with  our  brethren,  we 
should  combine  against  the  common  enemy. 

Most  ministers  will  speak  for  unity  and  peace;  but  how 
seldom  do  we  see  them  addicted  to  promote  it]  Too  com- 
monly they  are  jealous  of  it,  and  are  even  the  instruments  of 
division.  The  papists  have  so  long  abused  the  name  of 
Catholic  Church,  that  in  opposition  to  them,  many  either  put 
it  out  of  their  creed,  or  only  retain  the  name,  while  they  un- 
derstand not,  or  consider  not  the  nature  of  the  thing,  and 
behave  not  as  members  of  that  body.  Of  the  multitude  that 
say  they  are  of  the  catholic  church,  it  is  rare  to  meet  with 
men  of  a catholic  spirit.  They  do  not  duly  regard  the  whole 
church,  but  look  upon  their  own  party  as  if  that  were  the 
whole.  Most  of  them  will  pray  hard  for  the  posperity  of 
their  sect,  and  rejoice  and  give  thanks  when  it  goes  well  with 
28=^ 


330 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


them,  thinking  tliat  the  happiness  of  the  rest  consists  only 
m turning  to  them  ; but  if  any  other’  party  suffer,  they  little 
regard  it,  as  if  it  were  no  loss  at  all  to  the  church  ; nay  be- 
cause they  are  not  of  their  mind,  they  wish  for,  and  are  glad 
to  hear  of  their  fall,  imagining  that  it  is  the  way  to  the 
churches’  rising.  If  they  differ  not  among  themselves,  they 
are  but  little  troubled  at  differing  from  others,  thougii  it  be 
from  almost  all  the  Christian  world.  The  peace  of  their 
party  they  take  for  the  peace  of  the  church  ; no  wonder 
therefore  if  they  are  concerned  to  carry  it  no  further.  Few 
grow  zealous  of  peace,  till  they  grow  old,  or  have  much  ex- 
perience of  men’s  spirits  and  principles,  and  see  better  the 
true  state  of  the  church  and  the  several  differences  in  it ; and 
then  they  begin  to  write  their  Irenicons,  to  leave  behind 
them  when  they  are  dead,  as  witnesses  against  a wilful,  self- 
conceited,  unpeaceable  world.  Many  of  these  are  extant  at 
this  day.i  It  often  brings  a man  under  suspicion  either  of 
favoring  some  heresy,  and  of  needing  an  indulgence  to  his 
own  errors,  or  of  having  abated  his  zeal  for  the  truth,  if  he 
does  but  attempt  a pacibcatory  work;  as  if  there  were  no 
zeal  necessary  for  the  great  fundamental  truths,  and  for  the 
unity  and  peace  of  the  church,  but  only  for  parties  and  for 
some  particular  doctrines. 

We  have  as  sad  divisions  among  us  in  England,  as  most 
nations  have  known ; but  is  the  difference  between  the  sev- 
eral denominations  of  Protestants  so  great  that  w^e  might  not 
come  to  agreement?  Were  we  but  heartily  willing,  I know 
we  might.  I have  conversed  with  some  moderate  men  of  all 
parties,  and  I perceive  by  their  concessions  that  a union 
were  an  easy  work.  If  we  could  not  in  every  point  agree, 
we  might  easily  lessen  our  differences,  and  hold  communion 
upon  our  agreement  in  tlie  main  ; determining  on  the  safest 
way  for  managing  our  few  and  small  differences,  without  the 
danger  or  trouble  of  the  church.  To  the  shame  of  all  our 
faces  be  it  spoken,  that  this  is  not  done.  Let  each  party 
flatter  themselves  as  they  please,  this  will  be  recorded  to  the 
shame  of  the  ministers  of  England  as  long  as  the  gospel 
abides  in  the  world. 

We  confess  the  worth  of  peace;  we  read  and  preach  on 


^ See  especially  Hall's  excellent  treatise  called  “ The  Peace- 
maker,” and  his  “Pax  Terris,”  which  deserve  to  be  transcribed  upon 
ail  our  hearts. 


THE  REFORMED  FASTOR. 


331 


those  texts,  tliat  command  ns  to  ‘ follow  peace  with  all  men,’ 
etc.,  and  yet  we  sit  still  and  neglect  it  as  if  it  was  not  worth 
looking  after  ; and  too  many  will  censure  and  reproach  any 
that  endeavor  it,  as  if  holiness  and  peace  were  so  fallen  out 
that  there  were  no  reconciling  them  ; when  yet  we  have 
found  by  long  experience  that  concord  is  a sure  friend  to 
piety,  and  that  piety  always  tends  to  concord.  We  have 
seen  to  our  sorrow,  that  where  the  servants  of  God  should 
have  lived  together  as  of  one  heart  and  voice,  promoting  each 
other’s  faith  and  holiness,  and  rejoicing  together  in  the  hope 
of  future  glory,  they  have,  on  the  contrary,  lived  in  mutual 
jealousies,  drowned  holy  love  in  bitter  contentions,  and 
studied  to  disgrace  and  undermine  one  another,  and  to  in- 
crease their  own  parties  by  right  or  by  wrong. 

This  sin  of  discord  among  ministers  is  accompanied  with 
many  heinous  aggravations.  We  have  seen  how  errors  and 
heresies  breed  by  it,  as  discord  is  bred  and  fed  by  them. 
Nor  have  we  ourselves  only  scorched  in  this  flame,  but  we 
have  also  drawn  our  people  into  it,  so  that  they  are  fallen  in- 
to several  parties,  and  have  turned  much  of  their  ancient  pi- 
ety into  vain  opinions,  disputes  and  animosities.  And  (which 
is  worst  of  all)  the  common  ignorant  people  take  notice  of  it, 
and  not  only  deride  iis,  but  become  hardened  against  reli- 
gion. If  we  go  about  to  persuade  them  to  be  religious,  they 
see  so  many  parties,  that  they  know  not  which  to  join  with, 
and  think  that  it  is  as  well  to  belong  to  none  at  all  as  to  join 
any,  since  they  know  not  which  is  the  right.  Many  poor 
carnal  wretches  think  themselves  in  the  better  case,  while 
they  hold  to  their  old  formalities,  and  we  hold  to  nothing. 
Did  we  but  agree  among  ourselves  in  the  main,  and  do  as 
much  of  God’s  work  as  we  could  in  concurrent  unanimity, 
our  words  would  have  some  authority  with  them,  and  we 
should  be  in  a greater  capacity  to  do  them  good.  But  if  our 
tongues  and  hearts  be  divided,  no  wonder  if  our  work  prove 
more  like  a Babel  than  the  temple  of  God.  It  is  not  strange 
that  the  people  should  despise  us,  if  we  despise  one  another. 
Some  ministers  by  their  bitter,  opprobrious  speeches  of  others, 
have  more  effectually  done  the  devil’s  service,  under  the  name 
of  orthodoxy  and  zeal  for  the  truth,  than  the  malignant  scorners 
of  godliness  could  possibly  have  done.  The  matter  is  come  to 
that  pass,  that  there  are  few  men  of  note,  of  any  party,  but 
who  are  so  publicly  reproached  by  the  other  parties,  that  the 
ignorant  and  w'icked  rabble,  who  should  be  converted  by 


332 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


them,  have  learned  to  be  orthodox  and  to  vilify  and  scorn 
them.  Mistake  me  not;  I do  not  slight  orthodoxy  or  jeer  at 
the  name,  but  only  expose  the  pretences  of  devilish  zeal  in 
pious  or  seemingly  pious  men.  I know  that  many  of  these 
reverend  calumniators  think  that  they  laudably  discover  that 
soundness  in  the  faith,  and  that  zeal  for  the  truth,  which  oth- 
ers want ; but  I will  resolve  the  case  in  the  words  of  the  Ho- 
ly Ghost,  ‘ Who  is  a wise  man,  and  endowed  with  knowledge 
among  you  ? Let  him  show  out  of  a good  conversation  his 
works  with  meekness  and  wisdom.  But  if  you  have  bitter 
envying  or  styife  in  your  hearts,  glory  not,  and  lie  not  against 
the  truth  ; this  wisdom  descendeth  not  from  above,  but  is 
earthly,  sensual  and  devilish ; for  where  envying  and  strife 
is,  there  is  confusion  and  every  evil  work.  The  wisdom 
that  is  from  above  is  first  pure,  and  then  peaceable,  gentle 
and  easy  to  be  entreated,  full  of  mercy  and  good  fruits,  with- 
out partiality  and  without  hypocrisy  ; and  the  fruit  of  righte- 
ousness is  sown  in  peace  of  them  that  make  peace,’  James  3: 
13 — 18.  I beseech  you  read  these  words  again  and  again, 
and  study  them  well. 

The  most  common  cause  of  our  divisions  and  unpeaceable- 
ness, is  men’s  high  esteem  of  their  own  opinions.  This  works 
various  ways ; e.  g.  by  setting  them  upon  seeking  after  nov- 
elties. Some  are  as  busy  in  their  inquiries  after  new  doc- 
trines, as  if  the  Scriptures  were  not  perfect,  and  are  for  mak- 
ing new  articles  of  faith,  and  finding  out  new  ways  to  heaven. 
The  body  of  Popery  came  in  at  this  door.  Pride  occasions 
divisions  likewise,  by  putting  a higher  rate  upon  some  truths 
than  the  church  of  Christ  had  ever  done  ; by  making  that  to 
be  of  absolute  certainty  and  of  necessity  to  salvation,  which 
had  not  before  been  received,  or  but  as  a doubtful  point  and 
of  a lower  nature,  which  some  were  for  and  some  were  against, 
without  any  great  mutual  censure : but  especially,  when  the 
pride  of  men’s  hearts  makes  them  so  over-value  their  own 
conceptions,  and  to  be  so  confident  that  they  are  in  the  right 
as  to  expect  all  others  to  be  of  their  mind,  and  so  censorious 
as  to  condemn  all  that  differ  from  their  party.  Every  sect 
is  usually  confident  in  their  own  way,  and  hereupon  arise 
such  breaches  in  affection  and  communion  as  there  are. 
And  it  usually  happens  that  this  confidence  does  but  betray 
men’s  ignorance,  and  show  that  many  make  that  up  in  pas- 
sion, which  they  want  in  reason,  zealously  condemning  what 
they  little  understand.  It  is  far  easier  to  say  that  another 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


333 


man  is  erroneous,  and  rail  at  him  as  a deceiver,  than  to  give 
a just  account  of  our  own  belief.  And  I have  observed  it  is 
the  trick  of  some  . that  can  scarce  give  a reason  for  any  con- 
troverted part  of  their  creed,  (nor  it  may  be  of  the  funda- 
mentals,) to  reproach  those  that  differ  from  them  as  unsound, 
in  order  to  get  the  name  of  orthodox  divines.  Many  minis- 
ters take  up  their  opinions  only  in  compliance  with  their 
several  parties ; looking  more  ivho  believes  them,  than  what 
they  believe,  or  on  what  grounds ; and  too  many  take  up  even 
the  truth  itself  in  a faction.  And  therefore  they  must  speak 
against  those  that  they  hear  speak  against  their  party.  How 
many  hot  disputes  have  I heard,  which  the  disputants  have 
been  forced  to  manifest  they  understood  not!  Nay,  they 
will  often  drive  all  to  damnatory  conclusions,  when  they  un- 
derstand not  one  another’s  meaning,  and  are  unable,  if  you 
call  upon  them  for  it,  to  give  a definition  of  the  [terms  they 
use.]  Thus  do  we  proceed,  in  a contentious  zeal,  to  censure 
our  brethren  and  divide  the  church. 

I entreat  of  you,  brethren,  [carefully  to  avoid  this  evil  dis- 
position, and  to]  be  very  tender  of  the  unity  and  peace,  not 
only  of  your  own  parties,  but  of  the  whole  catholic  church. 
To  this  end,  keep  close  to  the  ancient  simplicity  of  the  Chris- 
tian faith,  the  foundation  and  centre  of  catholic  unity.  Do 
not  easily  introduce  any  novelties  into  the  church  either  in 
faith  or  practice.  Some  have  already  introduced  such  phrases, 
at  least,  even  about  the  great  points  of  faith,  that  there  may 
be  reason  to  reduce  them  to  the  primitive  patterns. 

A great  stir  is  made  in  the  world  about  the  test  of  a true 
Christian  church,  with  which  we  may  hold  communion. 
And  indeed  the  true  cause  of  our  continued  unhappy  divis- 
ions, is  the  want  of  discerning  the  centre  of  our  unity,  and 
the  terms  on  which  we  may  unite ; which  is  a great  pity 
since  this  was  once  so  easy  a matter,  till  the  ancient  test  was 
thought  insufficient.  The  faith  of  the  Papists  is  too  large 
for  all  men  to  agree  upon,  or  indeed  for  themselves,  if  it  were 
not  enforced  with  arguments  drawn  from  the  fire  and  the  hal- 
ter. And  many  Protestants  do  too  much  imitate  them  in  the 
tedious  length  of  their  subscribed  confessions,  and  new  impo- 
sitions. We  may  talk  of  peace  as  long  as  we  live,  but  we 
shall  never  obtain  it  till  we  return  to  the  apostolical  simplici- 
ty. We  must  abhor  the  arrogance  of  them  that  frame  new 
engines  to  rack  and  tear  the  church  of  God,  under  pretence 
of  obviating  errors  and  maintaining  the  truth.  We  must  let 


334 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


no  man’s  writings,  or  the  judgment  of  any  party,  be  made 
the  test  of  truth.  If  we  thrust  into  all  the  canons  of  former 
councils  about  matters  of  order,  discipline  and  ceremonies, 
or  gather  up  all  the  opinions  of  the  fathers  for  the  three  or 
four  first  ages,  none  of  these  will  ever  serve  to  found  a catho- 
lic union  upon.  The  sufficiency  of  Scripture  must  be  main- 
tained, and  nothing  beyond  it  imposed  on  any.  If  Papists 
or  others  call  upon  us  for  the  standard  of  our  religion,  we 
must  show  them  the  Bible  rather  than  any  confessions  of 
churches,  or  writings  of  men  ; more  lines  would  meet  in  this 
centre  than  are  likely  to  meet  in  any  other.  I know  it  is 
said  “ that  a man  may  subscribe  the  Scripture  and  the  ancient 
creeds,  and  yet  maintain  heresies.”  To  which  I answer,  so 
he  may  another  test,  which  you  yourselves  shall  contrive; 
and  while  you  make  a snare  to  catch  heretics,  instead  of  a 
test  for  the  church’s  communion,  you  will  miss  your  end ; 
the  heretic,  by  the  slipperiness  of  his  conscience,  will  get 
through,  and  the  tender  Christian  may  possibly  be  ensnared. 
Two  things  are  necessary  to  obviate  heresies,  viz.  the  law, 
and  the  good  execution  of  it.  God  hath  made  the  former, 
which,  both  for  sense  and  phrase,  is  sufficient;  let  us  but  do 
our  part  in  the  due  execution  of  it,  and  we  shall  do  all  that 
belongs  to  us. 

Th  is  I would  recommend  to  all  my  brethren,  as  necessary 
to  the  church’s  peace ; that  you  learn  to  distinguish  between 
certainties  and  uncertainties,  between  necessaries  and  unne- 
cessaries, between  catholic  truths  and  private  opinions,  and 
lay  the  stress  upon  the  former  instead  of  the  latter.  Unite 
in  necessary  truths,  and  tolerate  tolerable  failings.  Bear  with 
one  another  in  things  that  may  be  borne  with,  and  do  not 
make  larger  creeds  or  more  necessaries  than  God  has  done. 
In  order  to  this,  learn  to  see  the  true  state  of  controversies, 
and  reduce  them  to  the  point  where  the  difference  lies,  in- 
stead of  making  them  greater  than  they  are.  Lay  not  too 
great  stress  upon  controverted  opinions,  which  have  good 
men,  and  especially  which  have  whole  churches  on  both 
sides;  much  lesson  such  controversies  as  are  ultimately  re- 
solved into  philosophical  uncertainties  ; as  some  unprofitable 
disputes  about  free-will ; the  manner  of  the  Spirit’s  operation 
on  the  mind  ; the  divine  decrees,  etc.  etc.  But  especially 
lay  not  any  stress  upon  controversies  which  are  of  no  impor- 
tance, which,  if  they  were  anatomized,  would  appear  to  be 
merely  verbal ; of  which  sort  (I  speak  confidently  upon  cer- 


TIJE  REFOTtlMED  FASTOR. 


335 


tain  knowledge,)  are  many  that  now  make  a great  noise  in 
the  world  and  rend  the  church,  though  the  eager  contenders 
do  not  discern,  and  will  not  believe  it.  He  that  shall  live  in  that 
linppy  day  when  God  wdll  heal  his  broken  churches,  will  see 
all  that  I am  pleading  for  reduced  to  practice.  Moderation 
will  take  place  of  dividing  zeal,  the  Scripture-sufficiency  will 
be  maintained,  and  all  human  confessions  and  comments  will 
be  valued  only  as  subservient  helps.  Till  that  time  come,  we 
cannot  expect  healing  truths  will  be  entertained,  since  there 
are  not  healing  spirits  in  the  leaders  of  the  church  ; but  w hen 
the  work  is  to  be  done,  the  workmen  wdll  be  fitted  for  it,  and 
blessed  will  be  the  agents  in  so  glorious  a cause  ! 

Bnt  because  the  love  of  unity  and  truth,  of  peace  and 
purity,  should  go  together,  we  must  avoid  both  the  extremes, 
both  in  doctrine  and  discipline.  One  extreme  in  doctrine  is 
making  new  additions ; [this  we  have  already  considered]. 
The  other  is,  hindering  the  progress  of  knowdedge  ; this  we 
commonly  run  into  by  avoiding  the  former.  It  must  be  con- 
sidered, therefore,  how  far  we  may  improve,  and  not  be  cul- 
pable innovators.  And  (1)  Our  knowledge  must  increase 
extensively  ; we  must  endeavor  to  know  more  truths,  though 
we  must  not  feign  more.  Much  of  Scripture  will  remain  un- 
known to  us,  when  we  have  done  our  best.  Though  we 
shall  find  out  no  more  articles  of  faith  which  must  be  expli- 
citly believed  by  all  that  will  be  saved,  yet  we  may  find  out  the 
sense  of  more  particular  texts,  and  some  doctrinal  truths,  not 
contrary  to  the  former,  but  such  as  befriend  them  and  are 
connected  with  them.  And  we  may  find  out  more  the  order 
of  truths,  and  how  they  stand  in  respect  to  one  another;  and 
so  we  may  see  more  of  the  true  method  of  theology  than  w^e 
did,  which  will  give  us  a great  light  into  the  thing  itself.  (2) 
•Our  knowledge  must  also  grow  subjectively  and  intensively. 
And  this  is  the  principal  growth  to  be  sought  after.  We 
should  endeavor  to  know  the  same  great  and  necessary  truths 
with  a sounder  and  clearer  understanding  than  we  did,  b^C 
getting  more  and  stronger  evidences  of  them,  and  a clearer 
and  deeper  apprehension  of  the  same  evidence  ; for  one  that 
is  strong  in  knowledge  sees  the  same  truth  as  in  the  day- 
light, which  t^e  weak  see  but  as  in  the  twilight.  To  all  this 
must  be  added,  the  fuller  improvement  of  the  truth  received, 
to  its  proper  ends. 

With  respect  to  church-communion  also,  we  should  care- 
fully avoid  extremes,  and  endeavor  to  preserve  purity  as  well 


836 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR, 


as  peace.  As  on  the  one  hand  [we  should  discourage]  the 
unnecessary  separation  of  proud  men,  either  because  the 
churches  do  not  fall  in  with  their  opinion,  or  because  they 
are  not  so  reformed  in  discipline  as  they  would  have  them, 
or  so  strict  as  they  should  be;  soon  the  other  hand  we 
should  guard  against  the  neglect  or  relaxation  of  discipline  to 
the  corrupting  of  the  church,  the  encouragement  of  wicked- 
ness, and  the  confounding  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  with  that 
of  Satan. 

XL  In  order  to  promote  unity  and  concord  in  the  church- 
es, and  to  further  each  other  in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  let  me 
beseech  you  to  maintain  meetings  for  communion  among 
yourselves. 

Do  not  grow  strange  to  one  another,  but  incorporate  and 
hold  all  Christian  correspondence.  Distance  breeds  strange- 
ness, and  sometimes,  dividing  flames  and  jealousies,  which 
communion  will  prevent  or  cure.  It  is  the  chief  plot  of  our 
enemies  to  divide  us  in  order  to  weaken  ns ; let  us  not  con- 
spire with  them.  Cherish  not  heart-burnings,  nor  continue 
uncharitable  distances.  If  dividing  has  weakened  you, 
uniting  must  recover  your  authority  and  strength.  Get  to- 
gether then,  and  consult  Tor  peace.  If  you  have  any  dislike 
to  any  of  your  brethren,  or  to  their  conduct,  manifest  it  by  a 
free  debate  with  them.  If  you  will  but  keep  together,  you 
may  come  to  a better  understanding  of  each  other,  or  at  least 
correct  yourselves.  The  Scripture  commands  all  Christians 
to  be  of  one  mind,  and  to  preserve  the  unity  of  the  spirit  in 
the  bond  of  peace, and  obliges  ministers  to  “ be  ©ne  even 
as  Christ  and  the  Father  are  one,’’  John  17  : 21.  You  can- 
not be  ignorant  that  the  unity  of  ministers  is  their  honor,  as 
well  as  their  duty,  and  that  much  of  their  strength  with  the 
people  lies  in  it ; nor,  that  constant  communion  and  corres- 
pondence is  necessary  in  order  to  it.  Ministerial  communion 
is  as  much  a duty  as  Christian  communion;  the  church  has 
always  thought  so  and  practised  accordingly. 

Indeed  ministers  have  need  of  one  another,  and  must  im- 
prove the  gifts  of  God  in  one  another.  If  you  are  humble 
men,  you  will  think  that  you  have  need  of  the  advice  and 
assistance  of  your  brethren.  Tlie  sell-suflicient»are  the  most 
deficient;  the  proud  are  commonly  empty  men.  There  are 
many  young,  raw  ministers,  who  especially  need  the  help  that 
such  communion  may  afford  them,  and  the  advice  of  more 
grave,  experienced  men,  for  carrying  on  the  work  of  their 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


337 


ministry.  And  many  others  are  so  humble  and  sensible  of 
their  deficiences,  that  they  would  be  loath  to  be  deprived  of 
it.  That  may  sometimes  be  spoken  by  a man  of  inferior 
parts,  which  came  not  into  the  minds  of  wiser  men  ; few 
ministers  are  so  weak  that  they  may  not  sometimes  improve 
those  that  are  wiser  than  themselves.  And  those  that  are 
endowed  with  greater  parts,  - will  have  an  opportunity  to  do 
greater  good  with  them  [at  such  associations]  than  they  could 
otherwise  do.  If  you  are  above  advice  or  any  help  to  your- 
selves, [that  will  not  excuse  your  absence,  for]  your  brethren 
have  the  more  need  of  you,  by  how  much  the  less  you  have 
of  them. 

But  remember  these  assemblies  are  not  merely  for  your  • 
own  benefit  and  mutual  edification  (though  that  is  an  im- 
portant end),  but  the  church  and  the  common  good  require 
them.  You  owe  duty  to  your  neighbor  churches,  as  well  as 
ministers ; and  by  carrying  on  lectures,  disputations  or  con- 
ferences, you  will  have  an  opportunity  of  consulting  for  the 
common  good  and  of  promoting  your  common  work.  Do 
not  show  yourselves  contemners  or  neglecters  of  such  a ne- 
cessary business. 

Let  none  draw  back,  that  accord  in  the  substantials  of 
faith  and  godliness.  Yea,  though  some  should  think  them- 
selves necessitated  to  separate  in  public  worship  from  the 
rest,  methinks  if  they  be  Christians  indeed,  they  should  be 
willing  to  hold  as  much  communion  with  them  as  they  can, 
and  to  consult  how  to  manage  their  differences  to  the  least 
disadvantage  to  the  Christian  cause,  and  the  common  truths 
which  they  all  profess  to  own  and  prefer.  Though  they 
cannot  change  their  minds  about  those  opinions  which  hinder 
their  union,  it  might  reasonably  be  expected  of  every  party 
among  us  which  profess  themselves  Christians,  that  they 
should  value  the  whole  before  a part,  and  therefore  not  so 
perversely  seek  to  promote  their  own  parties  as  to  hinder  the 
common  good  of  the  church.  And  methinks  a little  humility 
should  make  men  ashamed  of  that  common  conceit  of  un- 
quiet spirits,  that  the  welfare  of  the  churches  depends  upon 
[the  propagation  of]  their  opinions.  If  they  are  indeed  a 
living  part  of  the  body,  the  hurt  of  the  whole  will  be  so  much 
their  own,  that  they  cannot  desire  it  for  the  sake  of  any  party 
or  opinion  whatever.  If  that  evil  spirit  whose  name  is 
Legion”  has  such  power  over  the  hearts  of  any  that  they  will 
quarrel  at  the  pacificatory  endeavors  of  others  who  hunger 
29 


338 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


after  the  healing  of  the  church,  and  rather  hinder  them  than 
help  them  on,  I must  say,  that  how  diligently  soever  they  may 
preach,  and  how  pious  soever  they  may  seem  to  be,  if  this 
way  tends  to  their  everlasting  peace,  and  if  they  be  not  pre- 
paring sorrow  for  themselves,  then  I am  a stranger  to  the  way 
of  peace. 

It  is  past  doubt  that  differing  brethren  may  well  join  in  re- 
commending to  the  ignorant  people  the  truths  that  they  are 
agreed  in.  Bishop  Usher  made  a motion  for  this  in  Ireland 
even  to  the  Papists  themselves.  ‘‘  But  (says  he)  through  the 
jealousies  which  distractions  in  matters  of  religion  have  bred 
among  us,  the  motion  had  small  effect,  and  so  between  us 
both,  the  poor  people  are  still  kept  in  miserable  ignorance, 
knowing  the  grounds  neither  of  the  one  religion  nor  the 
other.^’i  [This  is  very  much  the  case]  among  us  in  England. 
It  is  rare  to  find- any,  though  differing  only  in  the  point  of  in- 
fant-baptism, that  will  calmly,  and  without  fraudulent  designs 
of  secretly  promoting  their  own  opinions  by  it,  entertain  and 
prosecute  such  a motion  for  the  common  good ; as  if  they 
had  rather  Christianity  should  be  thrust  out  of  the  world,  or 
kept  under,  than  [that  their  own  notions  should  not  be  pro- 
pagated.] Well,  let  any  person  or  party  pretend  what  they 
will  of  zeal  and  holiness,  I will  ever  take  the  ‘‘  Dividatur’’  for 
an  ill  sign.  The  true  mother  abhors  the  division  of  the 
child,  1 Kings  3 ; 26  ; and  the  true  Christian  prefers  the 
common  interest  of  Christianity  to.  that  of  a faction  or  opin- 
ion, and  would  not  have  the  whole  building  endangered 
rather  than  one  peg  should  be  driven  in  otherwise  than  as  he 
would  have  it.  Do  not  then  neglect  these  brotherly  meetings 
for  the  ends  that  have  been  mentioned,  nor  yet  attend  them 
unprofitably,  but  improve  them  to  your  mutual  edification, 
and  for  effectually  carrying  on  the  [good  of  the  churches]. 

Do  not  ask  why  you  cannot  do  your  duty  to  God  and  your 
people  at  home,  without  travelling  many  miles  to  a meeting 
of  ministers ; nor  plead  that  you  have  business  of  your  own 
to  do,  when  you  should  be  doing  the  work  of  God  ; nor  un- 
der a pretence  of  loving  to  live  privately,  prefer  your  own  ease 
to  God’s  service.  Some  of  those,  indeed,  that  excuse  them- 
selves are  careless  and  scandalous  men ; we  should  have  no 
desire  of  their  company,  nor  admit  it,  but  upon  their  repen- 
tance and  reformation.  Some  are  empty  men,  and  are  afraid 

' Sermon  before  king  James  at  Wanstead,  On  the  Unity  of  the 
Church. 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


339 


their  weakness  should  be  known  ; but  they  cannot  conceal  it 
by  their  solitude,  whereas  they  might  do  much  to  heal  it  by 
communion  with  their  brethren.  As  for  those  that  are  averse 
to  associating  with  us  because  we  are  not  of  their  party,  [let 
it  be  considered  that]  by  such  communication  they  might 
give  or  receive  better  information  ; or  at  least  carry  on  so 
much  of  God’s  work  in  unity  as  we.  are  agreed  in.  Let  us 
resolve,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  adhere  to  more  catholic 
principles  and  practices,  and  to  have  communion  with  all 
godly  Christians  that  will  have  communion  with  us.  But 
some  object  to  attending  these  associations, 

1.  Because  they  say,  a few  men  commonly  do  all,  and 
the  rest  do  but  follow  them.”  I answer,  there  is  no  one  in 
our  associations  that  pretends  to  any  authority  over  his 
brethren ; either  civil  coercive  power,  or  ecclesiastical  direc- 
tive power.  You  cannot  say  then  that  any  one  does  either 
force  the  rest,  or  awe  them  by  any  pretended  commission 
from  Christ.  If  any  have  so  much  power  as  you  speak  of, 
it  seems  to  be  but  the  power  of  truth  in  them,  and  such  as 
light  hath  against  darkness.  And  perhaps  those  that  you  call 
the  leaders  of  the  rest,  find  themselves  to  need  the  help  of 
those  whom  you  say  they  lead,  more  than  you  do  theirs. 
But  if  you  do  indeed  think  that  these  leading  ministers  mis- 
lead the  rest,  there  is  the  more  need  of  the  presence  of  such  as 
you  who  discern  it,  and  w^ho  may  do  much  to  undeceive  them. 

2.  I hear  many  say,  ‘‘  under  pretence  of  associating,  you 
will  but  fall  into  a multitude  of  fractions ; not  two  counties 
can  agree  upon  the  same  terms ; and  why  should  we  join 
with  any  of  them  till  there  be  a greater  likelihood  of  union 
among  themselves  ?” — An  unreasonable  and  self-condemning 
objection.  Are  they  more  divided  who  associate,’  than  you 
w^ho  are  single,  and  go  every  man  his  own  way  ? But  where- 
in does  this  diversity  consist  which  you  complain  of?  I see 
none  so  great  [as  should  prevent  communion.]  The  truth 
is,  this  objection  is  commonly  made  by  men  that  place  the 
unity  of  the  church  in  what  God  never  placed  it  in.  We 
must  not  be  one  because  we  subscribe  not  the  same  form  of 
words,  and  agree  not  in  every  circumstance  or  expression ; 
nor  shall  we  ever  be  one  while  unity  is  placed  in  such  in- 
different things.  There  are  no  greater  dividers  of  the  church 
in  the  world  than  those  that  over-do  it  in  pretending  to  unity, 
and  lay  the  unity  of  the  church  upon  that  which  will  not 
bear  it.  There  is  no  possibility  of  bringing  all  to  be  of  every 


340 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


formalist’s  opinion,  and  to  use  every  gesture  or  form  of  words 
that  he  shall  impose.  Unnecessary  impositions  will  occasion 
contention ; whereas,  where  all  are  left  to  their  liberty  I 
never  hear  of  contention  or  offence.  In  the  present  case  we 
do  not  intend,  by  our  associating,  to  tie  one  another  to  new 
forms  and  ceremonies,  nor  to  make  new  terms  of  union  for 
the  churches  ; all  parties  may  join  with  us  without  deserting 
their  principles.  But  you  will  ask, 

3.  Then  what  need  have  we  to  subscribe  to  articles  of 
agreement?”  I answer,  the  articles  we  subscribe  are  Scrip- 
ture articles;  we  require  no  more  than  that  all  should  agree 
to  perform  those  duties  which  the  word  of  God  commands, 
or  to  unite  in  those  circumstances  of  duty  which,  (though 
the  Scripture  has  not  particularly  determined  them,)  may  be 
discerned  from  its  general  rules,  and  with  respect  to  which 
an  agreement  may  further  us  in  our  work.  The  reason  why 
we  subscribe  to  these  articles  is,  that  we  may  hereby  awaken 
ourselves  to  those  duties  which  we  have  too  generally  neg- 
lected, and  bind  ourselves  faster  to  the  observance  of  them. 
He  that  is  resolved  to  do  his  duty,  is  willing  to  be  as  much 
obliged  to  it  as  may  be ; when  it  must  be  done,  the  strongest 
bonds  are  the  surest.  If  it  be  no  more  than  your  duty  al- 
ready, what  reason  have  you  to  rufuse  subscribing  it,  unless 
you  are  unwilling  to  perform  it  ? If  you  object, 

4.  ‘‘  That  some  associations  subscribe  to  such  things  as 
you  cannot  in  conscience  agree  to,”  I desire  you  would  see 
that  you  can  plead  Scripture  as  well  as  conscience  against  it. 
If  it  be  but  about  indifferent  circumstances,  (though  I would 
have  nothing  indifferent  imposed,)  I must  tell  you  that  the 
union  and  communion  of  the  churches  is  not  indifferent,  and 
that  therefore  you  must  not  obstruct  it  on  account  of  such 
things  as  you  acknowledge  to  be  indifferent.  But  if  the 
things  be  evil  which  are  required  of  you,  propose  the  reasons 
of  your  dissent,  and  beg  leave  to  except  those  articles  with 
which  you  are  dissatisfied,  without  unnecessarily  withdraw- 
ing from  your  brethren’s  communion ; of  which,  no  doubt, 
if  they  be  peaceable  men,  they  will  readily  admit.  But  if 
they  would  force  you  to  subscribe  against  your  judgement, 
or  else  hold  no  communion  with  you,  then  they  exclude  you, 
and  you  do  not  exclude  yourselves.  But  I hope  no  associa- 
tions among  us  will  be  guilty  of  such  a practice.  [In  order  to 
lender  these  meetings  useful,  observe  the  following  directions]. 

Friends!  especially  quarrel  not  upon  points  of  precedency 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


341 


or  reputation  or  any  interest  of  your  own.  No  man  will 
have  settled  peace  in  his  mind  or  be  peaceable  in  his  place, 
that  proudly  envies  the  precedency  of  others  and  secretly 
grudges  at  them  that  seem  to  cloud  his  parts  and  name. 
One  or  other  will  ever  be  an  eye-sore  to  such  men.  There 
is  too  much  of  the  devil’s  image  in  this  sin,  for  an  humble 
servant  of  Christ  to  entertain.  Be  not  too  sensible  of  inju- 
ries, nor  make  too  great  a matter  of  every  offensive  word  or 
deed.  At  least  do  not  let  it  interrupt  your  concord  in  God’s 
work ; that  were  to  wrong  Christ  and  his  church,  because 
another  has  wronged  you.  If  you  be  of  this  impatient  humor 
you  will  never  be  quiet ; for  we  are  all  faulty,  and  cannot 
iive  together  without  wronging  one  another.  And  these 
proud,  over-tender  men,  are  often  hurt  by  their  own  con- 
ceits ; like  a man  that  has  a sore,  who  thinks  that  it  smarts 
the  more  when  he  imagines  some  body  hits  it.  They  will 
often  think  that  a man  jeers  them  or  means  them  ill,  when  it 
never  came  into  his  thoughts.  Till  this  self  be  taken  down, 
we  shall  every  man  have  a private  interest  of  his  own,  which 
will  lead  us  all  into  separate  ways,  and  spoil  the  peace  and 
welfare  of  the  church.  While  every  man  is  for  himself  and 
his  own  reputation,  and  “ all  mind  their  own  things,”  no 
wonder  if  they  ‘‘  mind  not  the  things  of  Christ.” 

XII.  [Do  not  confine  your  ministerial  labors  to  your  own 
flock,  but  be  ready  to  do  good  wherever  you  have  an  oppor- 
tunity for  it]. 

If  we  are  heartily  devoted  to  the  work  of  the  Lord,  let  us 
compassionate  the  congregations  about  us  that  are  unprovid- 
ed for,  and  endeavor  to  help  them  to  able  ministers.  In  the 
meantime,  we  should  step  out  now  and  then  to  their  assis- 
tance, when  the  business  of  our  own  particular  charge  will 
give  us  leave.  A lecture  in  the  more  ignorant  places,  pur- 
posely for  the  work  of  conversion,  carried  on  by  the  most 
lively,  affectionate  preachers,  might  be  very  useful  where  con- 
stant means  are  wanting. 

XIII.  In  your  whole  ministerial  work,  keep  up  constant 
desires  and  expectations  of  success. 

If  your  hearts  be  not  set  on  the  end  of  your  labors,  and  if 
you  do  not  long  to  see  the  conversion  and  edification  of  your 
hearers,  and  study  and  preach  in  hope,  you  are  not  likely  to 
see  much  success.  It  is  a sign  of  a false,  self-seeking  heart, 
when  a person  is  contented  to  be  still  doing,  without  seeing 
any  fruit  of  his  labor.  And  I have  observed  that  God  seldom 
29* 


342 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


blesses  any  man’s  work,  so  much  as  his  whose  heart  is  set 
upon  the  success  of  it.  Let  it  be  the  property  of  a Judas  to 
have  more  regard  to  the  bag  than  to  the  business ; leave  it  to 
such  worldlings  as  he  to  be  satisfied,  if  they  have  their  salary 
and  the  esteem  of  the  people ; but  let  all  that  preach  for 
•Christ  and  the  salvation  of  men,  be  dissatisfied  till  they  have 
the  thing  they  preach  for.  He  never  had  the  right  ends  of  a 
preacher  in  view,  who  is  indifferent  whether  he  obtains  them 
or  not ; who  is  not  grieved  when  he  misses  them,  and  re- 
joiced when  he  can  see  the  desired  issue.  When  a man  only 
studies  what  to  say,  and  how  to  spend  the  hour  with  com- 
mendation, without  looking  any  more  after  it,  but  to  know 
what  the  people  think  of  his  abilities,  and  thus  hold  on  from 
jear  to  year,  I must  needs  think  that  he  preaches  for  him- 
self ; that  he  drives  on  a private  trade  of  his  own ; and  that 
when  he  preaches  Christ,  he  preaches  not  for  Christ,  how 
•excellently  soever  he  may  seem  to  do  it.  I know  that  a 
faithful  minister  may  have  comfort  when  he  wants  success; 

* though  Israel  be  not  gathered,  our  reward  is  with  the  Lord.’ 
Our  acceptance  is  not  according  to  our  fruit,  but  according 
to  our  labor.  But  then  he  who  longs  not  for  the  success  of 
his  labors,  can  have  none  of  this  comfort,  because  he  is  not  a 
faithful  laborer.  This  is  only  for  them  whose  hearts  are  set 
upon  the  end,  and  grieved  if  they  miss  it.  This  is  not  the 
full  comfort  that  we  must  desire,  but  only  what  may  quiet 
us,  if  (notwithstanding  our  utmost  care)  we  fail  of  the  rest. 
What  if  God  will  accept  the  physician  though  the  patient 
die  ? He  must  still  work  in  compassion,  and  do  his  utmost 
to  save  his  life.  We  labor  not  for  our  own  reward,  but  for 
other  men’s  salvation.  I confess  for  my  part,  that  I wonder 
at  some  ancient,  reverend  men,  who  have  lived  thirty  or 
forty  or  fifty  years  with  an  unprofitable  people,  where  they 
have  been  scarcely  able  to  discern  any  fruit  of  their  labors, 
that  they  can  with  so  much  patience  continue  there.  I 
should  not  be  easily  satisfied  to  spend  my  days  in  such  a 
manner,  but  should  suspect  that  it  was  the  wfill  of  God  I 
should  go  some  where  else,  that  another  person  might  come 
there,  better  suited  to  them  and  more  useful  among  them. 
Once  more, 

XIV.  Our  whole  work  must  be  carried  on  under  a deep 
sense  of  our  own  insufficiency,  and  in  a pious,  believing  de- 
pendance  upon  Christ. 

We  must  go  to  him  for  light  and  life  and  strength,  who 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


343 


sends  us  on  our  work.  When  we  feel  our  faith  weak  and 
our  hearts  grown  dull,  and  unsuitable  to  so  great  a work  as 
that  we  have  to  do,  we  must  have  recourse  to  the  Lord,  and 
pray  that  we  may  not  go  to  persuade  others  to  believe,  with 
an  unbelieving  heart  of  our  own ; or  to  plead  with  sinners 
about  everlasting  life  and  death,  while  we  have  but  a faint 
belief  and  feeling  of  these  things  ourselves ; but  that,  as  he 
has  sent  us  forth  to  his  work,  he  would  furnish  us  with  a 
spirit  suitable  to  it.  [Further,  we  must  not  only  pray  for 
ourselves,  but  we  must  often  pray  in  behalf  of  all  our  hear- 
ers]. Prayer  must  carry  on  our  work,  as  well  as  preaching. 
He  preaches  not  heartily  to  his  people,  who  will  not  often 
pray  for  them.  If  we  prevail  not  with  God  to  give  them 
faith  and  repentance,  we  are  unlikely  to  prevail  with  them  to 
believe  and  repent.  Paul  gives  us  his  example  in  this  respect, 
who  tells  us  that  he  prayed  for  his  hearers  ‘ night  and  day 
exceedingly,’  1 Thess.  3:  10.  Since  our  own  hearts  and 
those  of  our  people,  are  so  far  out  of  order  as  they  be,  if  we 
prevail  not  with  God  to  help  and  mend  them,  we  are  likely 
to  make  but  unsuccessful  work. 


CHAPTEK  X. 

THE  CONCLUSION  OF  THE  WORK  ; BEING  A PARTICULAR 
APPLICATION  OF  THE  WHOLE. 

Reverend  and  dear  brethren  ; [having  taken  a survey  of 
our  duty  and  of  our  sins],  let  us  now  humble  our  souls  before 
the  Lord  for  our  past  negligence,  and  implore  his  assistance 
for  the  time  to  come.  Indeed  we  cannot  expect  the  latter 
without  the  former.  If  God  will  help  us  in  our  future  duty, 
he  will  certainly  first  humble  us  for  our  past  sin.  He  that 
has  not  so  much  sense  of  his  faults  as  unfeignedly  to  lament 
them,  will  hardly  have  sufficient  to  make  him  reform  them. 
Shall  we  deny  or  excuse  or  extenuate  our  sins,  while  we  call 
our  people  to  such  free  confessions  ? It  is  too  common  with 
us  to  expect  that  from  them,  which  we  do  little  or  nothing  of 
ourselves.  Too  many  labor  for  other  men’s  souls,  while  they 
seem  to  forget  that  they  have  any  of  their  own  to  regard. 
They  act  as  if  their  part  lay  only  in  calling  for  repentance, 


344 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


and  the  hearers’  in  repenting ; theirs  in  crying  down  sin,  and 
the  people’s  in  forsaking  it;  theirs  in  preaching  duty,  and 
the  hearers’  in  performing  it.  If  we  did  but  study  half  so 
much,  to  affect  and  mend  our  own  hearts,  as  we  do  to  affect 
and  mend  those  of  our  people,  it  would  not  be  with  many  of 
us  as  it  is.  It  is  much  too  little  that  we  do  for  their  humili- 
ation, but  I fear  it  is  much  less  that  we  do  for  our  own.  It 
is  a sad  thing  that  so  many  of  us  have  preached  our  hearers 
asleep,  but  it  is  worse  still,  if  we  have  studied  and  preached 
ourselves  asleep,  and  have  talked  so  long  against  hardness  of 
heart,  till  our  hearts  are  grown  hard  under  the  noise  of  our 
own  reproofs ! Is  it  not  better  to  give  God  glory  by  a full 
and  humble  confession,  than  in  tenderness  of  our  own  glory 
to  seek  for  ‘ fig-leaves  to  cover  our  nakedness’,  and  to  put 
God  upon  building  that  glory,  which  we  have  denied  him, 
on  the  ruins  of  our  own  which  we  have  preferred  to  his  ? 

It  is  certainly  our  duty  to  call  to  remembrance  our  mani- 
fold sins,  especially  those  that  are  most  obvious  and  ‘ set 
them  in  order’  before  God  and  our  own  faces,  that  he  may 
‘cast  them  behind  his  back;’  to  deal  plainly  and  faithfully 
with  ourselves,  in  a free  confession,  that  he  who  is  ‘ faithful 
and  just  may  forgive  us  our  sins ;’  and  to  judge  ourselves  that 
we  may  not  be  judged  of  the  Lord;  for  they  only  (whether 
pastors  or  people)  who  ‘ confess  and  forsake  their  sins,  shall 
find  mercy;  he  that  hardeneth  his  heart  shall  fall  into  mischief,’ 
Prov.  28:  13,  14.  [We  should  not  refrain  from  confessing  our 
sins  even  in  public ;]  truly  humble  ministers,  I doubt  not, 
will  rather  be  provoked  more  solemnly  in  the  face  of  their 
several  congregations  to  lament  their  guilt  and  promise  re- 
formation. Sins  openly  committed  are  more  dishonorable  to 
us  when  we  hide  them,  than  when  we  confess  them.  It  is 
the  sin  and  not  the  confession  of  it,  that  is  our  dishonor. 
We  have  committed  them  before  the  sun,  so  that  they  cannot 
be  hid  ; attempts  to  cloak  them  increase  the  guilt  and  shame. 
It  will  not  be  amiss  to  look  behind  us  and  imitate  the  ser- 
vants of  God  in  ancient  times,  in  their  confessions.  We 
find  in  Scripture  that  the  guides  of  the  church  did  confess 
their  own  sins  as  well  as  those  of  the  people.  See  the  ex- 
ample of  Ezra;  he  confessed  the  sins  of  the  priests,  ‘ casting 
himself  down  before  the  house  of  God,’  Ezra  9:  6,  7,  10. 
So  did  the  Levites,  Neh.  9:  32 — 34.  So  did  Daniel,  Dan. 
9:  20.  And  God  expressly  required  ‘ the  priests  and  minis- 
ters of  the  Lord  to  w^eep,’  Joel  2:  15 — 17,  as  well  as  others. 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


345 


I think,  if  we  consider  well  the  duties  that  have  been  ex- 
plained and  recommended,  and  at  the  same  time,  the  man- 
ner in  which  we  have  performed  them,  we  cannot  doubt 
whether  we  have  cavse  for  humiliation.  He  that  reads  this 
one  exhortation  of  Paul  from  whence  the  text  is  taken,  and 
compares  his  life  with  it,  is  stupid  and  hardened  indeed  if  he 
be  not  laid  in  the  dust  before  God,  bewailing  his  great  omis- 
sions, and  forced  to  fly  to  the  blood  of  Christ  and  his  par- 
doning grace.  O ! What  cause  have  we  all  to  bleed  before 
the  Lord,  that  we  have  been  ministers  so  many  years,  and 
yet  have  done  so  little  (especially  by  private  conference)  for 
the  saving  of  men’s  souls  ! Had  we  done  our  duty,  who 
knows  how  many  souls  might  have  been  brought  to  Christ, 
and  how  much  happier  we  might  have  been  in  our  parishes? 
And  why  did  we  not  do  it?  Many  impediments  were  doubt- 
less in  our  way ; but  if  the  greatest  had  not  been  in  ourselves, 
in  our  darkness  and  dulness,  our  indisposition  to  duty,  and 
our  divisions  among  ourselves,  much  more  might  have  been 
done  for  God  than  has  yet  been  done.  We  have  sinned,  and 
have  no  just  excuse  for  our  sin.  The  sin  is  great  because 
our  duties  were  great;  we  should  therefore  be  afraid  of  ex- 
cusing ourselves  too  much.  “ The  Lord  of  mercy  forgive 
us  and  all  his  ministers,  and  lay  not  any  of  our  ministerial 
negligence  to  our  charge  ! Oh  that  he  would  cover  all  our 
unfaithfulness,  and  by  ‘ the  blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant’ 
wash  away  our  guilt  of  the  blood  of  souls  ! That  ‘ when  the 
chief  shepherd  shall  appear,  we  may  stand  before  him  in 
peace,’  and  may  not  be  condemned  for  the  ‘ scattering  of  his 
flock.’  ” 

And  now,  brethren,  what  have  we  to  do  for  the  time  to 
come,  but  to  deny  our  lazy,  contradicting  flesh,  and  rouse  up 
ourselves  to  the  great  business  in  which  we  are  employed  ? 
‘The  harvest  is  great,  the  laborers  are  too  few.’  The  loiter- 
ers and  contentious  hinderers  are  many ; the  souls  of  men 
are  precious  ; the  misery  of  sinners  is  great ; the  everlasting 
torment  to  which  they  are  near  is  greater ; the  joy  to  which 
we  ought  to  help  them  is  inconceivable  ; the  beauty  and  glo- 
ry of  the  church  is  desirable  ; our  difficulties  and  dangers  are 
many  and  great ; the  comfort  that  attends  a faithful  steward- 
ship is  greater:  but  that  which  attends  a full  success  is  inex- 
pressible ; and  the  honor  conferred  upon  us  who  are  called 
to  be  ‘ co-workers  with  God,’  and  to  subserve  the  blood-shed 
of  Christ  for  the  salvation  of  men,  is  illustrious  beyond  com- 


346 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


parison. — ‘ The  fields  now  seem  white  for  harvest for  the 
preparations  that  have  been  made  for  us  are  great ; the  sea- 
son for  working  is  now  more  warm  and  calm  than  most  ages  • 
have  been  ; we  have  carelessly  loitered  in  our  work  too  long  ; 
the  present  time  is  posting  away ; while  we  are  trifling,  men 
are  dying,  and  passing  in  haste  to  the  eternal  world  ! And 
is  there  nothing  in  all  this  to  awaken  us  to  our  duty,  and  to 
engage  us  to  speedy  and  unwearied  diligence  ? Is  it  possible 
for  a man  to  be  too  careful  and  laborious,  under  all  these  mo- 
tives and  engagements  ? 

Were  but  our  souls  clearly  and  deeply  impressed  [with 
these  considerations,]  and  with  the  very  important  truths  we 
preach,  especially  those  that  relate  to  a future  world,  O what 
a change  would  it  make  in  our  sermons  and  in  our  private 
discourse  ! If  we  did  but  know  what  it  is  for  the  soul  to  pass 
out  of  the  flesh,  to  go  before  a righteous  God,  and  enter 
upon  a state  of  unchangeable  joy  or  torment,  and  with  what 
amazing  thoughts  dying  men  apprehend  these  things,  how 
differently  would  such  matters  be  discoursed  of!  Oh  the 
gravity,  the  seriousness,  the  incessant  diligence  these  things 
require  ! I know  not  what  others  think  of  them  ; but  for 
my  own  part,  I am  ashamed  of  my  stupidity  and  wonder  at 
myself,  that  I deal  no  more  with  my  own  and  other  men^s 
souls,  as  becomes  one  that  looks  for  ‘ the  great  day  of  the 
Lord that  I can  leave  room  for  almost  any  other  thoughts 
or  words,  and  that  such  astonishing  matters  do  not  wholly 
take  me  up  ! I seldom  come  out  of  the  pulpit,  but  my  con- 
science smites  me  that  I have  been  no  more  serious  and  fer- 
vent. It  accuses  me  not  so  much  for  want  of  elegance  or 
human  ornaments  nor  for  letting  fall  an  unhandsome  word  ; 
but  it  asks  me  ‘‘  how  couldst  thou  speak  of  everlasting  life 
and  death  with  such  a heart?  How  couldst  thou  preach  of 
heaven  and  hell  in  so  careless  and  sleepy  a manner?  Dost 
thou  believe  what  thou  sayest  ? Art  thou  in  earnest,  or  in 
jest?  How  canst  thou  tell  people  that  sin  is  so  evil  a thing, 
and  that  its  consequences  are  so  dreadful,  without  being  more 
affected  with  it  ? Shouldst  thou  not  weep  over  sinners,  even 
till  thy  tears  interrupt  thy  words  ? Shouldst  thou  not  ‘ cry 
aloud,  and  show  them  their  transgressions,  and  shouldst  thou 
not  intreat  them  to  repent  and  believe,  with  the  utmost  im- 
portunity ?’  ’’  Such  is  the  peal  that  conscience  rings  in  my 
ears,  and  yet  my  drowsy  soul  will  not  be  awakened.  What 
a dreadful  thing  is  a senseless,  hardened  heart ! “ Lord,  save 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


347 


us  from  the  plague  of  infidelity,  and  hardness  of  heart!-  or 
how  shall  w.e  be  fit  instruments  of  saving  others  from  it  1 and  do 
that  on  our  souls,  which  thou  wouldst  have  us  do  on  the 
souls  of  others  I am  even  confounded  to  think  what  dif- 
ference there  is  between  my  apprehensions  of  the  life  to  come 
in  a time  of  sickness,  and  at  other  seasons.  O brethren,  if 
you  had  conversed  with  death  as  often  as  I have  done,  and 
as  often  received  the  sentence  in  yourselves,  you  would  have 
an  unquiet  conscience,  if  not  a reformed  life,  with  regard  to 
ministerial  diligence.  You  would  have  something  within 
you  that  would  often  ask  you  such  questions  as  these : ‘‘  Is 
this  all  thy  compassion  for  lost  sinners?  Wilt  thou  do  no 
more  to  seek  and  save  (hem  ? Is  there  not  such  and  such 
a one,  are  there  not  many  round  about  thee,  who  are  yet  the 
visible  sons  of  death  ? What  hast  thou  said  to  them,  or  done 
for  their  recovery?  Shall  thousands  die  and  go  to  hell,  before 
thou  wilt  speak  one  serious  word  to  prevent  it  ? Will  they 
not  there  curse  thee  forever,  that  thou  didst  no  more  in  time 
to  save  them  Such  cries  of  conscience  are  daily  in  my 
ears,  though  the  Lord  knows  I have  too  little  obeyed  them. 
I confess  that. I seldom  hear  the  bell  toll  for  one  that  is  dead, 
but  conscience  asks  me;  “ What  hadst  thou  done  for  the  sav- 
ing of  that  soul  before  it  left  the  body  ? There  is  one  more 
gone  into  eternity;  what  didst  thou  do  to  prepare  him  for  it?” 
When  you  are  lying  a corpse  in  the  grave,  how  can  you  help 
reflecting  with  yourselves  to  this  purpose;  Here  lies  the 
body,  but  where  is  the  soul  ? What  did  I do  for  it  before  it 
departed  ? It  was  part  of  my  charge  ; what  account  can  I 
give  of  it?”  O sirs  I is  it  a small  matter  to  answer  such 
questions  as  these?  It  may  seem  so  now  ; but  the  hour  is 
coming  when  it  will  appear  otherwise.  ‘ If  our  hearts  con- 
demn us,  God  is  greater  than  our  hearts,’  and  will  condemn 
us  more.  We  may  plead  the  cause  with  conscience,  and  ei- 
ther bribe  it,  or  endure  its  sentence ; but  God  is  not  so  easi- 
ly dealt  with,  nor  his  sentence  so  easily  borne.  ‘Where- 
fore, we  receiving  (and  preaching)  a kingdom  which 
cannot  be  moved,  let  us  have  grace  whereby  we  may 
serve  God  acceptably,  with  reverence  and  godly  fear ; 
for  our  God  is  a consuming  fire,’  Heb.  12:  28,  29.  Let  me 
beseech  you,  brethren,  on  the  behalf  of  Christ,  for  the  sake 
of  the  church,  and  the  immortal  souls  of  men  ; for  your  own 
soul’s  sake,  that  you,  presently  a'nd  effectually  set  about  the 
work  which  I have  been  principally  recommending.  Heark- 


348 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


en  to  God  and  the  calls  of  duty,  if  you  would  have  peace  of 
conscience.  I know  that  carnal  wit  never  wants  words,  nor 
a show  of  reason,  to  gainsay  that  truth  and  duty  which  it  ab- 
hors ; it  is  easier  to  cavil  against  duty  than  to  perform  it. 
But  consider  how  the  matter  will  appear  on  a death-bed,  and 
what  account  you  will  give  to  God  at  the  great  day.  Con- 
science will  not  own  those  reasons  in  a dying  hour,  which 
now  it  seems  to  admit.  There  is  not  that  comfort  to  be  had 
for  a departing  soul  in  the  view  of  neglected  duty,  as  of  a 
life  wholly  devoted  to  the  service  of  God  ; and  I am  confi- 
dent my  arguments  will  appear  strongest  at  last,  whatever  they 
may  do  now. 

O think  how  dreadful  and  aggravated  our  final  condemna- 
tion will  be,  if  we  live  and  die  wilful  neglecters  of  the  great 
work  we  have  undertaken  ! Our  parents  that  destined  us  to 
the  ministry,  our  tutors  that  educated  us  for  it,  our  learning 
and  ministerial  gifts,  our  voluntarily  undertaking  the  care  of 
souls,  all  the  care  of  God  for  his  church,  all  that  Christ  has 
done  and  suffered  for  it,  all  the  precepts,  promises,  and 
threatenings  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  all  the  examples  of  pro- 
phets, apostles  and  preachers  there  recorded,  and  all  the 
books  in  our  studies  that  tell  us  of  our  duty,  or  any  way  as- 
sist us  in  it,  will  rise  in  judgment  against  us  ! All  the  ser- 
mons that  we  have  preached,  to  convince  men  of  the  danger 
of  sin,  of  the  torments  of  hell  and  the  joys  of  heaven,  to  quick- 
en them  in  their  duty  or  to  reprove  their  neglect,  all  the 
maintenance  we  take  for  our  service,  all  the  honor  we  receive 
from  the  people  and  the  ministerial  privileges  we  enjoy,  all 
the  witness  we  have  borne  against  the  neglects  of  ministers, 
all  the  jndgments  and  mercies  of  God  with  which  we  have 
been  acquainted,  all  the  fervent  prayers  of  God’s  people  that 
have  been  offered  on  our  account,  and  finally,  all  our  vows, 
promises  and  resolutions  for  diligence  in  our  work,  will  at 
the  last  great  day  aggravate  our  condemnation,  if  we  are 
found  unfaithful  in  our  master’s  service. 

Thus  have  I shown  you  [the  nature  and  importance  of 
your  work,  the  obligations  under  which  you  are  laid  to  per- 
form it,  and]  what  will  be  the  consequence,  if  you  do  not  set 
yourselves  faithfully  to  it.  Truly,  brethren,  if  I did  not  ap- 
prehend the  matter  to  be  of  exceeding  great  moment  to  your- 
selves, to  your  people  and  to  the  honor  of  God,  I would  not 
have  troubled  you  with  so  many  words  about  it,  nor  have  pre- 
sumed to  speak  so  sharply  as  I have  done.  But  in  an  affair 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


349 


of  life  and  death,  men  are  apt  to  forget  their  reverence,  cour- 
tesy and  compliments,  commonly  called  good  manners.  For 
my  part,  I apprehend  this  to  be  one  of  the  greatest  and  best 
works  that  1 ever  put  my  hand  to,  in  my  whole  life.  I verily 
believe  you  will  agree  with  me  herein  : and  if  you  do,  you 
will  not  think  me  too  prolix  or  too  plain  and  severe.  As  for 
myself,  spare  not;  tread  me  as  dirt  in  the  streets;  let  me  be 
as  vile  in  your  eyes  as  you  please,  so  that  you  will  but  hearken 
to  God  and  reason,  and  do  your  duty,  for  the  salvation  of 
men.  What  am  I but  a servant  of  Christ  ? and  what  is  my 
life  worth,  but  to  do  him  service  ? Whose  favor  can  recom- 
pense for  the  ruins  of  the  church?  And  who  can  be  silent 
while  souls  are  undone  ? Not  I,  for  my  part,  while  God  is 
my  master,  his  word  my  rule,  his  work  my  business,  and  the 
success  of  it,  for  the  saving  of  souls,  my  end.  I know  myself 
unworthy  to  be  your  monitor ; but  a monitor  you  must  have, 
and  it  is  better  to  hear  of  our  sin  and  our  duty  from  anybody 
than  not  at  all.  Receive  the  admonition,  and  you  will  see  no 
cause,  in  the  monitor’s  unworthiness,  to  repent  of  it ; but  re- 
member, if  you  reject  it,  the  unworthiest  messenger  may  bear 
that  witness  against  you  that  will  shame  and  condemn  you. 
[I  shall  only  add,  as  the  sum  of  all  that  has  been  said,] 

Let  us  set  before  us  the  exhortation,  and  the  example  given 
us  in  our  text  and  context,  and  learn  our  duty  from  thence. 
This  one  passage  of  Scripture  better  deserves  a whole  year’s 
study,  than  most  things  about  which  students  are  apt  to  spend 
their  time.  O brethren  write  it  on  your  study  doors,  or  set 
it  as  your  copy  in  capital  letters  continually  before  your  eyes. 
Could  we  but  learn  two  or  three  lines  of  it,  what  preachers 
should  we  be!  Here  we  are  taught — Our  general  business; 
serving  the  Lord. — Our  special  work ; taking  heed  to  ourselves 
and  cdl  the  flock.  The  substance  of  our  doctrine  ; repentance 
towards  God,  and  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The 
places  and  manner  of  our  teaching  ; puhlicly,  and  from  house 
to  house. — The  object  and  internal  manner  ; warning  every 
one,  night  and  day,  with  all  humility  of  mind  and  with  tears. 
— [The  faithfulness  and  integrity  that  are  requisite;  I have 
kept  back  nothing  that  was  pr(f  table  unto  you ; I am  pure 
from  the  blood  of  all  men,  for  I have  not  shunned  to  declare 
the  whole  counsel  of  God.'] — The  innocence  and  self-denial  to 
be  used ; L have  coveted  no  man^s  silver  or  gold. — The  pa- 
tience and  resolution  to  be  exercised;  none  of  these  things 
move  me,  neither  count  I my  life  dear  unto  myself,  so  that  I 
30 


350 


THE  REFORMED  PASTOR. 


might  finish  my  course  with  joy^  and  the  ministry  which  1 
have  received  of  the  Lord  Jesus. — And  once  more,  The  mo- 
tives to  engage  us  to  all  this ; The  Holy  Ghost . has  made  us 
overseers  ; the  church  we  feed  is  the  church  of  God,  which  he 
hath  purchased  with  his  own  blood. 

Write  this  upon  your  hearts,  and  it  will  do  yourselves  and 
the  church  more  good  than  twenty  years’  study  of  those  low- 
er things  which  often  employ  your  thoughts ; which,  though 
they  get  you  greater  applause  in  the  world,  yet,  if  separated 
from  these,  will  make  you  ‘ but  sounding  brass,  and  tinkling 
cymbals.* 


i 


LECTURES 


PULPIT  ELOQUENCE 


BY 


GEORGE  CAMPBELL,  D.  D.,  F.  R.  S. 


PRINCIPAL  OF  MARISCHAL  COLL.,  ABERDEEN. 


■■-■W-r' 


■■  ■■ 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


LECTURE  I. 

IMPORTANCE  OF  THE  STUDY,  AND  OBJECTIONS  AGAINST  IT 

ANSWERED. HELPS  FOR  THE  ATTAINMENT  OF  THE  ART. 

It  is  not  enough  for  the  Christian  minister,  that  he  be  in- 
structed in  the  science  of  theology,  unless  he  has  the  skill  to 
apply  his  knowledge,  to  answer  the  different  purposes  of  the 
pastoral  charge.  And  the  first  thing,  that  on  this  article 
seems  to  merit  our  attention,  is  the  consideration  of  the 
minister,  in  the  character  of  a public  speaker  ; and  that,  both 
in  his  addresses  to  God  on  the  part  of  the  people  in  worship, 
and  his  addresses  to  the  people  on  the  part  of  God  in  preach- 
ing. Of  the  importance  of  this  last  part  of  the  character,  as 
a public  teacher,  no  one  can  reasonably  doubt,  who  con- 
siders that  it  was  one  great  part,  if  not  the  principal  part  of 
the  charge  which  the  apostles  received  from  our  Lord,  Matt. 
28 : 19,  20,  “ Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  bap- 
tizing them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and 
of  the  Holy  Ghost ; teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  what- 
soever I have  commanded  you.”  And  again,  Mark  16:  15, 
Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every 
creature.”  And  without  derogating  from  those  solemn  in- 
stitutions of  our  religion,  which  in  after  times  came  to  be 
denominated  sacraments,  preaching  may  in  one  view,  at  least, 
be  said  to  be  of  more  consequence  than  they,  inasmuch  as 
a suitable  discharge  of  the  business  of  a teacher  undoubtedly 
requires  abilities  superior  to  those  requisite  for  the  proper 


354 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


performance  of  the  other,  a part  in  comparison  merely  minis- 
terial or  official.  It  is  besides  the  great  means  of  conversion 
as  well  as  of  edification.  Faith  cometh  by  hearing,”  says 
the  apostle.  The  ministry  of  our  Lord,  to  his  kinsmen  the 
Jews,  consisted  chiefly  in  teaching;  for  the  evangelist  John, 
4 : 2,  expressly  tells  us  that  Jesus  baptized  none  ; this,  as 
comparatively  an  underwork,  was  intrusted  entirely  to  his 
disciples.  And  the  apostle  Paul  acquaints  the  Corinthians, 
1 Cor.  1 : 17,  that  Christ  sent  him  not  to  baptize,  but  to 
preach  the  gospel ; that  the  latter  and  not  the  former  was  the 
principal  end  of  his  mission.  When  it  pleaeed  God  by  the 
conversion  of  Cornelius  the  Roman  centurion,  to  open  the 
door  of  faith  to  the  Gentiles,  no  less  a person  than  Peter,  the 
first  of  the  apostolical  college,  was  selected  for  announcing  to 
him  and  his  family  the  gospel  of  Christ ; but  after  they  were 
converted  by  his  preaching,  the  apostle  did  not  consider  it  as 
any  impropriety  to  commit  the  care  of  baptizing  them  to 
meaner  hands.  “ He  (that  is,  Peter,)  commanded  them  to 
be  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,”  Acts  10  : 48.  What 
hath  been  said,  however,  is  by  no  means  intended  to  arraign 
the  propriety  of  limiting  to  a lower  number,  in  churches 
which  are  already  constituted,  the  power  of  dispensing  the 
sacraments;  than  is  done  in  regard  to  the  power  of  preaching. 
The  near  connection  which  the  former  has  with  discipline 
and  order  in  a Christian  society  already  established,  affords  a 
very  good  reason  for  this  difference.  But  if  teaching  is  a 
matter  of  so  much  consequence,  and  if  the  proper  discharge 
of  this  duty  is  a matter  of  principal  difficulty,  it  ought  doubt- 
less to  employ  a considerable  part  of  the  student’s  time  and 
attention,  that  he  may  be  properly  prepared  for  it.  Indeed 
it  may  be  said,  that  the  study  of  the  science  of  theology  is  it- 
self a preparation,  and  in  part  it  no  doubt  is  so,  as  it  furnish- 
es him  with  the  materials;  but  the  materials  alone  will  not 
serve  his  purpose,  unless  he  has  acquired  the  art  of  using 
them.  And  it  is  this  art  in  preaching  which  I denominate 
Ckrhtian  or  pulpit  elnqufMce,  To  know  is  one  thing,  and  to 
be  capable  of  communicating  knowledge  is  another. 

I am  sensible,  however,  that  there  are  many  pious  Chris- 
tians, who  are  startled  at  the  name  of  eloquence  when  applied 
to  the  Christian  teacher  ; they  are  disposed  to  consider  it  as 
setting  an  office,  which  in  its  nature  is  spiritual,  and  in  its 
orio-in  divine,  too  much  on  a footing  with  those  which  are 
merely  human  and  secular.  And  this  turn  of  thinking  I 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


355 


have  always  found  to  proceed  from  one  or  other  of  these  two 
causes  ; either  from  a mistake  of  what  is  meant  by  eloquence, 
or  from  a misapprehension  of  some  passages  of  holy  writ  in 
relation  to  the  sacred  function.  First,  it  arises  from  a mis- 
taken notion  of  the  import  of  the  word.  It  often  happens 
both  among  philosophers  and  divines,  that  violent  and  end- 
less disputes  are  carried  on  by  adverse  parties,  which,  were 
they  to  begin  by  settling  a definition  of  the  term  whereon 
the  question  turns,  would  vanish  in  an  instant.  Were  these 
people  then,  who  appear  to  differ  from  us,  on  the  propriety  of 
employing  eloquence,  to  give  an  explication  of  the  ideas  they 
comprehend  under  the  term  eloquence  or  oratory,  we  should 
doubtless  get  from  them  some  such  account  as  this,  a knack 
or  artifice,  by  which  the  periods  of  a discourse  are  curiously 
and  harmoniously  strung  together,  decorated  with  many 
flowery  images,  the  whole  entirely  calculated  to  set  off  the 
speaker’s  art  by  pleasing  the  ear  and  amusing  the  fancy  of  the 
hearers,  but  by  no  means  calculated  either  to  inform  their 
understandings  or  to  engage  their  hearts.  Perhaps  those 
people  will  be  surprised,  when  I tell  them,  that  commonly  no 
discourses  whatever,  not  even  the  homeliest,  have  less  of 
true  eloquence,  than  such  frothy  harangues,  as  perfectly  suit 
their  definition.  If  this,  then,  is  all  they  mean  to  inveigh 
against  under  the  name  eloquence,  I will  join  issue  with  them 
with  all  my  heart.  Nothing  can  be  less  worthy  the  study  or 
attention  of  a wise  man,  and  much  more  may  this  be  said  of 
a Christian  pastor,  than  such  a futile  acquisition  as  that 
above  described.  But  if,  on  the  contrary,  nothing  else  is 
meant  by  eloquence,  in  the  use  of  all  the  wisest  and  the  best 
who  have  written  on  the  subject,  but  that  art  or  talent, 
whereby  the  speech  is  adapted  to  produce  in  the  hearer  the 
great  end  which  the  speaker  has,  or  at  least  ought  to  have 
principally  in  view,  it  is  impossible  to  doubt  the  utility  of  the 
study ; unless  people  will  be  absurd  enough  to  question, 
whether  there  be  any  difference  between  speaking  to  the 
purpose  and  speaking  from  the  purpose,  expressing  one’s 
self  intelligibly  or  unintelligibly,  reasoning  in  a manner  that 
is  conclusive  and  satisfactory,  or  in  such  a way  as  can  con- 
vince nobody,  fixing  the  attention  and  moving  the  affections 
of  an  audience,  or  leaving  them  in  a state  perfectly  listless 
and  unconcerned. 

But,  as  I signified  already,  there  are  prejudices  against 
this  study  in  the  Christian  orator,  arising  from  another  source. 


356  LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 

the  promises  of  the  immediate  influence  of  the  divine  Spirit, 
the  commands  of  our  Lord  to  his  disciples,  to  avoid  all  con- 
cern and  solicitude  on  this  article,  and  the  example  of  some 
of  the  apostles  who  disclaimed  expressly  the  advantages  re- 
sulting from  the  study  of  rhetoric,  or  indeed  of  any  human 
art,  or  institute  whatever.  In  answer  to  such  objections,  I 
must  beg  leave  to  ask.  Are  we  not  in  the  promises  of  our 
Saviour,  to  distinguish  those  which  were  made  to  his  disci- 
ples, merely  as  Christians,  or  his  followers  in  the  way  to  the 
kingdom,  from  those  made  indeed  to  the  same  persons,  but 
considered  in  the  character  of  apostles,  the  promulgators  of 
his  doctrine  among  Jews  and  Pagans,  and  the  first  founders 
of  his  church  ? Are  we  entitled  to  apply  to  ourselves  those 
promises  made  to  the  apostles,  or  even  the  first  Christians, 
manifestly  for  the  conviction  and  conversion  of  an  infidel 
world  ? “ These  signs,’’  says  Christ,  ‘‘  shall  follow  them  that 
believe : In  my  name  shall  they  cast  out  devils  : they  shall 
speak  with  new  tongues ; they  shall  take  up  serpents ; and 
if  they  drink  any  deadly  thing,  it  shall  not  hurt  them ; they 
shall  lay  hands  on  the  sick,  and  they  shall  recover.”  Do  we 
now  expect  such  signs  to  follow  upon  our  faith?  And  is  not 
the  promise  of  immediate  inspiration  on  any  emergency, 
(which  is  doubtless  a miraculous  gift  as  well  as  those  above 
enumerated,)  to  be  considered  as  of  the  same  nature,  and 
given  for  the  same  end?  And  ought  not  all  these  precepts, 
to  which  promises  of  this  supernatural  kind  are  annexed  as 
the  reason,  to  be  understood  with  the  same  restriction  ? 
When  our  Lord  foretold  his  disciples,  that  they  should  be 
brought  before  kings  and  rulers  for  his  name’s  sake,  he  adds, 
Settle  it  in  your  hearts  not  to  meditate  before  what  you 
shall  answer ; for  I will  give  you  a mouth  and  wisdom  which 
all  your  adversaries  shall  not  be  able  to  gainsay  or  resist.”  It 
is  manifest  the  obligation  of  the  precept  can  only  be  explain- 
ed by  a proper  apprehension  of  the  extent  of  the  promise. 
But  the  truth  is,  that  few  or  none,  in  these  our  days,  would 
consider  premeditation  in  such  circumstances  as  either  un- 
lawful or  improper.  Who,  even  among  those  who  inveigh 
most  bitterly  against  the  study  of  eloquence  for  the  pulpit, 
does  ever  so  much  as  pretend  that  we  ought  not  to  medi- 
tate, or  so  much  as  think,  on  any  subject  before  we  preach 
upon  it?  And  yet  the  letter  of  the  precept,  nay,  and  the 
spirit  too,  strikes  more  directly  against  particular  premedita- 
tion, than  against  the  general  study  of  the  art  of  speaking. 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


357 


It  is  more  a particular  application  of  the  art,  than  the  art 
itself,  that  is  here  pointed  at.  And  as  to  what  the  great  apos- 
tle of  the  Gentiles  hath  said  on  this  article,  it  will  serve,  1 am 
persuaded,  to  every  attentive  reader,  as  a confirmation  of 
what  has  been  advanced  above,  in  regard  to  the  true  mean- 
ing of  such  promises  and  precepts,  and  the  limitations  with 
which  they  ought  to  be  understood.  Well  might  he  renounce 
every  art  which  man’s  wisdom  teacheth,  whose  speech  was  ac- 
companied with  the  demonstration  of  the  spirit  and  of  power; 
that  is,  with  those  miraculous  gifts,  which  were  so  admirably 
calculated  to  silence  contradiction,  and  to  convince  ihe  most 
incredulous.  But  the  truth  is,  there  is  not  one  argument  can  be 
taken  from  those  precepts  and  examples,  that  will  not  equally 
conclude  against  all  human  learning  whatsoever,  as  against  the 
study  of  rhetoric.  Because  the  apostles  could  preach  to  men 
of  every  nation  without  studying  their  language  in  conse- 
quence of  the  gift  of  tongues  wdth  which  they  W'ere  super- 
naturally  endowed,  shall  we  think  to  convert  strangers,  with 
whose  speech  we  are  totally  unacquainted,  and  not  previous- 
ly apply  to  grammars,  and  lexicons,  and  other  helps,  for 
attaining  the  language  ? Or  because  Paul,  as  he  himself 
expressly  tells  us,  received  the  knowledge  of  the  gospel  by 
immediate  inspiration,  shall  we  neglect  the  study  of  the  Scrip- 
tures and  other  outward  means  of  instruction  ? There  have 
been,  I own,  some  enthusiasts  who  have  carried  the  matter 
as  far  as  this.  And  though  hardly  any  person  of  the  least 
reflection,  would  argue  in  such  a manner  now,  it  must  be 
owned  that  the  very  same  premises,  by  which  any  human  art 
or  institute  in  itself  useful,  is  excluded,  will  equally  answer 
the  purposes  of  such  fanatics  in  excluding  all.  And  to  the 
utility,  and  even  importance  of  the  rhetorical  art,  Scripture 
itself  bears  testimony.  Is  it  not  mentioned  by  the  sacred 
historian  in  recommendation  of  Apollos,  that  he  was  “ an 
eloquent  man,”  as  well  as  mighty  in  the  Scriptures  ? And 
is  not  his  success  manifestly  ascribed,  under  God,  to  these 
advantages?  There  is  no  mention  of  any  supernatural  gifts, 
which  he  could  receive  only  by  the  imposition  of  the  hands 
of  an  apostle  ; and  it  appears  from  the  history,  that'  before 
he  had  any  interview  with  the  apostles,  immediately  after 
his  conversion,  he  mightily  convinced  the  Jews,  and  that 
publicly,  showing  from  the  Scriptures  that  Jesus  was  the 
Christ.  The  very  words  used  by  the  inspired  penmen  are 
such  as  are  familiar  with  rhetoricians  in  relation  to  the  foren- 


358  LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 

sic  eloquence,  Evrovcog  yaQ  roTg  'lovdaioig  8iaxarfil8y)[£to^ 
Acriter,  vehemeriter ^ magna  conteMtione,  Now  though  it  is  not 
permitted  to  us  to  reach  the  celestial  heights  of  a Peter,  or  a 
Paul,  I see  nothing  to  hinder  our  aspiring  to  the  humbler 
attainments  of  an  Apollos.  But  enough,  and  perhaps  too 
much,  for  obviating  objections,  which  I cannot  allow  myself 
to  think,  will  have  great  weight  with  gentlemen,  who  have 
been  so  long  employed  in  the  study  of  the  learned  languages, 
and  of  the  liberal  arts  and  sciences.  However,  when  one 
hath  occasion  to  hear  such  arguments,  (if  indeed  they  deserve 
to  be  called  so,)  advanced  by  others,  it  may  be  of  some  utili- 
ty to  be  provided  with  an  answer. 

The  next  point,  and  which  is  of  the  greatest  consequence, 
is,  in  what  this  art  or  talent  may  be  attained,  at  least  as  much 
of  it  as  is  suited  to  the  business  of  preaching,  and  is  on  moral 
and  religious  subjects  best  adapted  to  the  ends  of  instruction 
and  persuasion  ? The  talents  required  in  the  preacher  are, 
in  great  measure,  such  as  are  necessary  to  him  in  common 
with  every  other  public  speaker,  whatever  be  the  scene  of 
his  appearances,  whether  it  be  his  lot  to  deliver  his  orations 
in  the  senate,  at  the  bar,  or  from  the  pulpit.  Now  what  the 
preacher  must  have  in  common  with  those  of  so  many  other 
and  very  different  professions,  it  cannot  be  expected  that 
here  we  should  treat  particularly,  especially  when  it  is  con- 
sidered how  many  other  things  have  a preferable  title  to  our 
notice.  What  indeed  i§^_pecA^r  in  the  eloquence  of  the 
pulpit  will  deserve  a more  particular  consideration.  But 
though  we  do  not  from  this  place  propose  to  give  an  institute 
of  rhetoric,  it  will  not  be  improper  to  give  some  directions  in 
relation  to  the  theory  of  it,  and  particularly  to  the  reading 
both  of  ancient  and  modern  authors,  whence  the  general 
knowledge  of  the  subject,  which  is  too  much  neglected  by 
theological  students,  may  be  had.  When  we  consider  the 
nature  of  this  elegant  and  useful  art  with  any  degree  of  at- 
tention, we  shall  soon  be  convinced,  that  it  is  a certain  im- 
provement on  the  arts  of  grammar  and  logic,  on  which  it 
founds,  and  without  which  it  could  have  no  existence.  On 
the  other  hand,  without  this,  these  arts  would  lose  much  of 
their  utility  and  end,  for  it  is  by  the  art  of  rhetoric,  that  we 
are  enabled  to  make  our  knowledge  in  language,  and  skill  in 
reasoning,  turn  to  the  best  account  for  the  instruction  and 
persuasion  of  others.  “ The  wise  in  heart,’’  saith  Solomon, 


LECTURES  ON  PULRIT  ELOQUENCE. 


359 


shall  be  called  prudent,  but  the  sweetness  of  the  lips  in- 
creaseth  learning.”i 

Now  the  best  preparation  for  an  orator,  on  whatever  kind 
of  theatre  he  shall  be  called  to  act,  is  to  understand  thorough- 
ly the  discursive  art,  and  to  be  well  acquainted  with  the 
words,  structure  and  idiom  of  the  language  which  he  is  to- 
employ.  By  skill  in  the  former,  I do  not  mean  being  well- 
versed  in  the  artificial  dialectic  of  the  schools,  though  this, 
I acknowledge,  doth  not  want  its  use,  but  being  conversant 
in  the  natural  and  genuine  principles  and  grounds  of  reason- 
ing, whether  derived  from  sense  or  memory,  from  compari- 
son of  related  ideas,  from  testimony,  experience  or  analogy. 
School-logic,  as  was  well  observed  by  Mr.  Locke,  is  much 
better  calculated  for  the  detection  of  sophistry  than  the  dis- 
covery of  truth.  Its  forms  of  argumentation  in  mood  and 
figure  carry  too  much  artifice,  not  to  say  mechanism,  in  the 
very  front  of  them,  to  suit  the  free  and  disengaged  manner 
of  the  orator,  in  whom  everything  ought  to  appear  perfectly 
natural  and  easy,  and  nothing  that  looks  like  contrivance  or 
insidious  design.  But  though  the  logician’s  manner  is  not 
to  be  copied  by  the  public  speaker,  his  art  will  be  of  use, 
sometimes  in  furnishing  topics  of  argument,  often  in  suggest*- 
ing  hints  to  assist  in  refutation.  But  true  logic,  it  must  be 
acknowledged,  is  best  studied  not  in  a scholastic  system,  but 
in  the  writings  of  the  most  judicious  and  best  reasoners  on 
the  various  subjects  supplied  by  history,  science  and  philoso- 
phy. And  with  regard  to  language,  as  it  is  the  English 
alone  with  which  the  preachers  in  this  country,  a very  few 
excepted,  are  concerned  as  public  speakers,  they  ought  not 
only  to  study  its  structure  and  analogy  in  our  best  gramma- 
rians, but  endeavor  to  familiarize  themselves  to  its  idiom,  and 
to  acquire  a sufficient  stock  of  words  and  a certain  facility 
in  using  them,  by  an  acquaintance  with  our  best  English 
authors.  . We  have  the  greater  need  of  this,  as  in  this  part 
of  the  island  we  labor  under  some  special  disadvantages, 
which,  that  our  compositions  may  be  more  extensively  use- 
ful, it  is  our  duty  to  endeavor  to  surmount. 

As  to  the  rhetorical  art  itself,  in  this  particular  the  moderns 
appear  to  me  to  have  made  hardly  any  advance  or  improve- 
ment upon  the  ancients.  I can  say,  at  least,  of  most  of  the 


' See  the  Philosophy  of  rhetoric,  vol.  T.  book  I.  ch.  iv.  of  the  rela- 
tion which  Eloquence  bears  to  Logic  and  to  Grammar. 


360 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


performances  in  the  way  of  institute,  which  I have  had  an 
opportunity  of  reading  on  this  subject,  either  in  French  or 
English,  everything  valuable  is  servilely  copied  from  Aristotle, 
Cicero,  and  Quintilian,  in  whose  writings,  especially  Quin- 
tilian’s Institutions,  and  Cicero’s  books  de  inventione,  those 
called  ad  Herennium^  and  his  dialogues  de  oratore^  every 
public  speaker  ought  to  be  conversant.  To  these  it  will  not 
be  amiss  to  add  Longinus  on  the  sublime,  Dionysius  of  Hal- 
icarnassus, and  some  others.  And  as,  in  every  art,  the  ex- 
amples of  eminent  performers  will  be  found  to  the  full  as  in- 
structive to  the  student,  as  the  precepts  laid  down  by  the 
teacher,  antiquity  does  here  at  least  furnish  us  with  the  best 
models  in  the  orations  of  Cicero  in  Latin,  and  in  those  of 
Aeschines  and  Demosthenes  in  Greek.  Of  modern  authors 
considered  in  both  views,  as  teachers  of  the  art,  and  as  per- 
formers, I would  recommend  what  Rollin  and  Fenelon  have 
written  on  the  subjcet,  the  sermons,  and  also  the  lectures  on 
eloquence  lately  published  by  the  ingenious  and  truly  elo- 
quent Dr.  Blair ; to  which  give  me  leave  to  add  the  sermons 
of  my  amiable  and  much  lamented  friend  Mr.  Farquhar, 
which,  though  no  other  than  fragments,  having  been  left  un- 
finished by  the  author,  who  appears  to  have  had  no  view  to 
publication,  and  though  consequently  less  correct  in  point 
of  language,  are,  on  account  of  the  justness  of  the  sentiments, 
and  the  affecting  warmth  with  which  they  are  written,  high- 
ly admired  by  persons  of  taste  and  discernment. i 


LECTURE  11. 

OF  THE  SENTIMENT  IN  PULPIT  DISCOURSES. 

I am  now  to  consider  the  train  of  sentiment,  the  elocution, 
and  the  pronunciation,  that  are  best  adapted  to  the  pulpit. 
Of  these  things  I only  mean  at  first  to  take  a more  general 


^ Here  the  author  introduced  for  his  second  lecture  the  tenth  chap- 
ter of  the  first  book  of  his  Philosophy  of  Rhetoric,  entitled  “The 
different  kinds  of  public  speaking  in  use  among  the  moderns,  com- 
pared, with  a view  to  their  different  advantages  in  respect  of  elo- 
quence.” In  that  chapter  there  are  several  things  highly  worthy  of 
the  attention  of  tlie  preacher. 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


361 


and  cursory  survey,  and  make  such  remarks  on  each,  as  will 
hold  almost  universally  of  all  the  instructions  given  from  the 
pulpit,  whatever  the  particular  subject  be.  As  to  those 
which  may  suit  the  different  sorts  of  sermons  and  other  dis- 
courses to  be  employed  by  the  preacher,  I shall  have  occa- 
sion afterwards  to  take  notice  of  them,  when  I come  to  in- 
quire into  the  rules  of  composition,  worthy  the  attention  of* 
the  Christian  orator,  and  to  mark  out  the  different  kinds,, 
whereof  this  branch  of  eloquence  is  susceptible. 

I begin  at  this  time  with  what  regards  the  sentiments.. 
Let  it  be  observed,  that  I here  use  the  term  sentiments  in  the- 
greatest  latitude  for  the  sense  or  thoughts.  1 rhean  thereby 
what  may  be  considered  as  the  soul  of_  the  discourse,  or  all 
the  instruction  of  whatever  kind,  that  is  intended  to  be  con- 
veyed by  means  of  the  expression  into  the  minds  of  the  hear- 
ers. Perhaps  the  import  of  the  word  will  be  more  exactly 
ascertained  by  saying,  it  is  that  in  any  original  performance,, 
which  it  behooves  a translator  to  retain  in  his  version  into 
another  language,  whilst  the  expression  is  totally  changed. 
Thus  (to  preserve  the  metaphor  of  soul  and  body  already 
adopted)  we  may  say,  that  a discourse  in  being  translated 
undergoes  a sort  of  transmigration.  The  same  soul  passes 
into  a different  body.  For  if  the  ideas,  the  sense,  the  infor- 
mation, conveyed  to  the  hearers  or  readers,  be  not  the  same 
in  the  version,  as  in  the  original  performance,  the  translation 
is  not  faithful.  Now  all  that  regards  the  soul  or  sense  may 
be  distributed  into  these  four  different  forms  of  communica- 
tion, namely,  narration^  explanation,  reasoning,  and  moral 
reflection.  This  last  is  sometimes,  by  way  of  eminence, 
called  sentiment. 

To  the  first  of  these,  narration,  there  will  be  pretty  fre- 
quent occasion  of  recourse,  both  for  the  illustration  of  any 
point  of  doctrine  or  portion  of  Scripture  wherewith  the  sub- 
ject happens  to  be  connected,  and  also  for  affecting  the  hear- 
ers in  a way  suitable  to  the  particular  aim  of  the  discourse. 
And  indeed  it  often  happens,  that  nothing  is  better  adapted 
to  this  end,  than  an  apposite  passage  of  history  properly  re- 
lated. But  what  are  the  rules,  it  will  be  asked,  by  the  due 
observance  of  which  propriety  in  this  matter  may  be  attain- 
ed? One  of  those  most  commonly  recommended  is,  to  be 
brief.  But  this  rule  needs  explanation,  as  there  is  nothing 
we  ought  more  carefully  to  avoid  than  a cold  uninteresting 
conciseness,  which  is  sometimes  the  consequence  of  an  ex- 
31 


362  LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 

cessive  desire  of  brevity.  Brevity  in  relating,  as  in  every- 
thing else,  is  only  so  far  commendable,  as  it  is  rendered  com- 
patible with  answering  all  the  ends  of  the  relation.  Where 
these  are  not  answered,  through  an  affectation  of  being  very 
nervous  and  laconic,  comprehending  much  in  little,  the  nar- 
ration ought  not  to  be  styled  brief,  but  defective.  In  strict- 
ness, the  relation  ought  to  contain  enough,  and  neither  more 
nor  less.  But  what  is  enough?  That  can  be  determined 
only  by  a proper-  attention  to  the  end  for  which  the  narration 
was  introduced.  A narrative  may  contain  enough  to  render 
the  story  and  its  connection  intelligible  to  the  hearer^  yet  not 
enough  to  fix  his  attention  and  engage  his  heart,  and  may 
therefore  be  justly  chargeable  with  a faulty  conciseness. 
But  if  this  extreme  ought  to  be  carefully  guarded  against,  it 
well  deserves  your  notice,  that  the  contrary^  and  no  less  dan- 
gerous extreme  of  prolixity,  by  entering  into  a detail  too 
minute  and  circumstantial,  ought  with  equal  care  to  be 
avoided.  If,  in  consequence  of  the  first  error  the  hearer’s 
mind  remains  unsatisfied,  in  consequence  of  the  second  it  is 
cloyed.  Both  faults  can  be  avoided  only  by  such  a judicious 
selection  of  circumstances,  as  at  once  excludes  nothing  es- 
sential to  the  purposes  of  perspicuity  and  connection,  or  con- 
ducive to  the  principal  scope  of  the  narration,  and  includes 
nothing,  that  in  the  respects  aforesaid  can  be  deemed  super- 
fluous. Such  is  every  circumstance  that  can  be  denomina- 
ted remote,  trivial,  or  necessarily  implied  in  the  other  cir- 
cumstances mentioned.  But  to  assist  the  preacher  in  con- 
ducting such  narratives,  when  pertinent,  nothing  will  serve 
so  well  for  a model,  as  the  historical  part  of  sacred  writ.  No- 
where else  will  he  find  such  simplicity,  as  brings  what  is  said 
^to  the  level  of  the  meanest  capacity,  united  with  such  dignity, 
'as  is  sufficient  to  engage  the  attention  of  the  highest.  Pas- 
sages of  Scripture  history,  when  they  happen  to  coincide  with 
the  speaker’s  view,  are  much  preferable  to  those  which  may 
be  taken  from  any  other  source ; and  that  on  a double  ac- 
count. First,  it  may  be  supposed,  that  not  only  all  the  se- 
rious part,  but  even  the  much  greater  part  of  the  audience, 
being  better  acquainted  with  these,  will  both  more  readily 
perceive  and  more  strongly  feel  the  application  which  the 
preacher  makes  of  them  ; and  secondly,  the  authority  of  holy 
writ  gives  an  additional  weight  to  that  which  is  the  intent  of 
the  narrative.  I do  not  say,  however,  that  a preacher,  in 
quoting  instances,  examples  and  authorities,  ought  to  confine 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


363 


himself  entirely  to  the  sacred  history.  Our  blessed  Lord, 
though,  addressing  himself  only  to  Jews,  did  not  hesitate  to 
lay  the  foundation  of  some  of  his  parables  in  those  customs 
which  had  arisen  solely  from  their  intercourse  with  the 
Romans.  Of  this  the  parable  you  have,  Luke  19:  12,  etc., 
of  the  nobleman  who  travelled  into  a distant  land,  in  order 
that  he  might  obtain  the  royal  power,  and  return  king  over 
his  countrymen,  is  an  evident  instance.  Such  was  become 
the  general  practice  in  all  the  provinces  and  states  dependent 
upon  Rome.  The  royalty  was  often  not  to  be  attained  with- 
out applications  to  the  Roman  senate  and  these  were  often 
thwarted,  as  in  the  parable,  by  counter  applications,  either 
from  the  people,  or  from  some  rival  for  power.  Nay,  there 
is  very  probably  in  that  parable  an  allusion  to  some  things 
which  had  actually  happened  in  regard  to  the  succession  of 
Archelaus,  son  of  Herod,  king  of  Judea,  with  which  many  of 
his  hearers  could  not  fail  to  be  acquainted,  the  thing  having 
happened  but  recently  and  in  their  own  time.  Nor  was  the 
apostle  Paul  at  all  scrupulous  in  illustrating  the  sublimest 
truths  of  the  gospel,  by  the  exercises  and  diversions  which 
obtained  at  that  time  among  the  idolatrous  Greeks.  But 
even  in  those  cases  wherein  Scripture  doth  not  furnish  the 
facts,  it  supplies  us  with  an  excellent  pattern  of  a natural, 
simple  and  interesting  manner  in  which  the  relation  ought  to 
be  conducted.  1 shall  only  add  on  this  article,  that  the  dif- 
ferent circumstances  ought  to  be  so  fitly  and  so  naturally 
connected,  that  those  which  precede  may  easily  introduce 
those  which  follow,  and  those  which  follow  may  appear  ne- 
cessarily to  arise  out  of  those  which  precede.  This,  by  add- 
ing to  the  credibility  and  verisimiiitude,  greatly  increases 
the  effect  of  the  whole.  I shall  not  at  this  time  say  anything 
of  those  qualities  which  more  regard  the  expression  than  the 
thought,  as  there  will  be  scope  for  this  afterwards. 

The  second  thing  comprised  under  the  term  thought,  or 
sentiment,  was  explication,  in  which  I include  also  description 
and  definition.  And  on  this,  the  rules  laid  down  upon  the  for- 
mer article  will  equally  hold  good.  The  same  care  and  at- 
tention will  be  requisite,  both  in  culling  and  disposing  the 
particulars,  that  the  whole  may  be  neither  tedious  nor  unsat- 
isfactory. In  regard  to  disposition  and  arrangement,  there 
is  rather  more  art  necessary  in  this  case  than  in  the  former. 
In  the  former,  to  wit,  narrative,  all  the  material  circumstan- 
ces are  successive,  and  the  order  of  introducing  them  must 


364 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


in  a great  measure  be  determined  by  the  order  of  time.  But 
in  explication,  they  are  simultaneous,  and  therefore  require 
the  exercise  of  judgment  and  reflection,  in  assigning  to  each 
its  proper  place  and  order  in  the  discourse.  Need  it  be  add- 
ed, that  in  all  descriptive  enumerations  particular  care  ought 
to  be  taken,  that  nothing  foreign  be  comprehended,  and  that 
nothing  which  properly  belongs  to  the  subject  be  omitted. 
The  logical  rules  in  regard  to  definition  are  sufficiently  known, 
and  therefore  shall  not  here  be  repeated.  On  the  whole,  in 
regard  to  both  the  preceding  articles,  a certain  justness  of 
apprehension  is  of  all  things  the  most  important  in  a speak- 
er. If  he  has  not  a clear  conception  of  the  matter  himself, 
it  can  never  be  expected  he  should  convey  it  to  others. 

The  third  thing  mentioned  as  belonging  to  the  thought, 
was  reasoning.  When  it  is  considered,  what  a mixed  society 
a Christian  assembly  for  the  most  part  is,  and  how  little  the 
far  greater  number,  even  of  what  are  called  the  politest  con- 
gregations, is  accustomed  to  the  exercise  of  the  discursive 
faculty,  it  will  be  evident  that  anything  in  the  way  of  argu- 
ment would  need  to  be  extremely  simple,  consisting  of  but  a 
very  few  steps,  and  extremely  clear,  having  nothing  in  that 
is  of  an  abstract  nature,  and  so  not  easily  comprehended  by 
them,  and  nothing  that  alludes  to  facts  which  do  not  fall  with- 
in ordinary  observation.  If  the  argument  is  not  deduced 
from  experience,  or  the  common  principles  of  the  understand- 
ing, but  from  the  import  of  the  words  of  Scripture,  one  would 
need  to  be  particularly  distinct  in  setting  the  sacred  text  be- 
fore them,  avoiding  as  much  as  possible,  everything  that  sa- 
vors of  subtlety,  conceit  or  learned  criticism.  Something  in- 
deed of  criticism,  when  the  point  to  be  proved,  is  a point 
merely  of  revelation,  cannot  always  be  avoided.  In  general, 
however,  we  are  warranted  to  say,  it  ought  to  be  avoided  as 
much  as  possible.  The  passages  of  holy  writ,  therefore, 
which  you  make  choice  of,  in  support  of  your  doctrine,  ought 
to  be  always  the  plainest  and  the  most  direct.  Though  you 
should  perhaps  find  other  passages,  in  which  to  a man  of  let- 
ters, there  might  appear  equal  or  even  stronger  evidence,  yet 
if  such  passages  would  require  a commentary  or  elaborate 
disquisition  to  elucidate  them,  they  are  not  so  convincing  to 
the  people,  and  should,  therefore,  be  let  alone. 

It  may  not  be  improper  here,  however,  before  we  dismiss 
this  article,  to  examine  a little  what  the  occasions  are  which 
require  reasoning  from  the  pulpit,  and  what  are  the  different 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


365 


topics  of  argument  adapted  to  the  different  natures  of  the  sub- 
ject. These  last  are  very  properly  divided  into  practical  and 
speculative.  In  the  former,  the  preacher  argues  to  enforce 
the  practice  of  a duty  recommended  by  him  ; in  the  latter, 
to  gain  the  belief  of  his  hearers  to  a tenet  he  thinks  fit  to  de- 
fend. In  the  former  case,  it  is  his  aim  to  evince  the  beau- 
ty, the  propriety,  the  equity,  the  pleasantness,  or  the  utility 
of  such  a conduct  both  for  time  and  for  eternity.  His  topics 
therefore  are  all  drawn  from  common  life  and  experience, 
from  the  common  sense  of  mankind  and  the  most  explicit 
declarations  of  holy  writ,  topics  in  a great  measure  the  same 
with  those  on  which  men  of  all  conditions  are  wont  to  argue 
with  one  another,  in  regard  to  what  is  right  and  prudent  in 
the  management  of  their  ordinary  secular  affairs.  Such  were 
the  topics,  to  which  our  Lord  himself  had  recourse  in  his  pa- 
rables, always  illustrating  the  reasons  and  motives  which 
ought  to  influence  in  the  things  of  eternity,  by  the  reasons 
and  motives  which  do  commonly  influence  us  in  the  things 
of  time.  Such  topics  are  consequently,  if  properly  conduct- 
ed, level  to  the  capacities  of  all.  Whereas  in  the  latter  ease, 
when  the  subject  is  of  doctrinal  points,  or  points  of  specula- 
tion, the  resources  of  the  preacher  are  extremely  different. 
His  reasoning  must  then  be  drawn  from  the  essential  natures 
and  differences  of  things,  and  the  comparison  of  abstract 
qualities,  or  perhaps  from  abstruse  and  critical  disquisitions 
of  the  import  of  some  dark  and  controverted  passages  of 
Scripture,  which  it  must  be  owned,  are  beyond  the  sphere  of 
the  illiterate.  I would  not  by  this  be  understood  to  mean, 
that  controversy  should  never  be  admitted  into  the  pulpit. 
We  are  exhorted  by  the  apostle  Jude  earnestly  to  contend 
for  the  faith,  which  was  once  delivered  to  the  saints.’’  And 
Paul  in  his  epistles  hath  given  us  an  excellent  example  of 
this  laudable  zeal  in  support  of  the  fundamental  doctrines  of 
our  religion,  against  those  who  denied  or  doubted  them. 
This  he  shows,  as  on  several  other  occasions,  so  in  particu- 
lar in  the  defence  of  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection,  and  in 
opposition  to  that  false  dogma  of  the  Judaizing  teachers  of 
his  time,  that  the  observance  of  circumcision  and  of  the  oth- 
er ceremonies  of  the  law  is  necessary  to  salvation.  And  in- 
deed from  the  reason  of  the  thing  it  is  manifest,  that  in  a re- 
ligious institution  founded  on  certain  important  truths  or 
principles,  through  the  belief  of  which  only  it  can  operate  on 
the  hearts  and  influence  the  lives  of  men,  it  must  be  of  the 
31* 


366 


LECTURES  ON  PLLPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


Utmost  consequence  to  refute  the  contrary  errors,  when  they 
appear  to  be  creeping  in  or  gaining  ground  among  the  peo- 
ple. But  before  the  preacher  attempt  a refutation  of  this 
tind,  there  are  two  things  he  ought  impartially  and  carefully 
to  inquire  into.  First,  he  ought  to  inquire,  whether  the  te- 
net he  means  to  support  be  one  of  the  great  truths  of  religion 
or  not.  It  may  be  a prevalent  opinion,  it  may  have  a refer- 
ence to  the  common  salvation,  nay  more,  it  may  be  a true 
opinion,  and  yet  no  article  of  the  faith  which  was  once  de- 
livered to  the  saints.  These  articles  are  neither  numerous 
nor  abstruse.  We  cannot  say  so  much  in  regard  to  the  com- 
ments and  glosses  of  men.  Yet  it  is  an  undoubted  fact,  that 
where  the  former  have  excited  one  controversy  in  the  church 
the  latter  have  produced  fifty.  It  must  therefore  be  of  im- 
portance to  him,  to  be  well-assured  that  he  is  vindicating  the 
great  oracles  of  unerring  wisdom,  and  not  the  precarious  in- 
terpretations and  glosses  of  fallible  men ; that  he  acts  the 
part  of  the  genuine  disciple  of  Christ,  and  not  the  blind  fol- 
lower of  a merely  human  guide.  In  the  former  case  only  he 
defends  the  cause  of  Christianity  ; in  the  latter  he  but  supports 
the  interest  of  a sect  or  faction.  In  that,  he  contends  for  the 
faith  ; in  this,  he  dotes  about  questions  and  strifes  of  words, 
vain  janglings,  perverse  disputings  of  men  of  corrupt  minds, 
and  involving  himself  in  oppositions  of  science  falsely  so 
called.’’  And  that  under  this  last  class,  the  far  greater  part 
of  our  theological  disputes  are  comprehended,  even  such  as 
have  been  too  often  and  too  hotly  agitated  in  the  pulpit,  is  not 
to  be  denied.  Such  in  particular  are  a great  many  of  the 
doctrinal  controversies,  which  different  parties  of  protestants 
have  with  one  another.  They  may  with  great  propriety  be 
styled  loyo^a)[iaiy  (strifes  of  words,  I Tim.  6:  4.)  an  empha- 
tic term  of  the  apostle  Paul ; for  they  are  not  only  wars  with 
words,  but  wars  merely  about  words  and  phrases,  where  there 
is  no  discernible,  or  at  least,  no  material  difference  in  the 
sense;  and  which  agreeably  to  the  character  he  gives  of 
them,  ‘‘  gender  strifes,  and  minister  idle  disputes  rather  than 
godly  edifying.”  The  second  thing  which  the  preacher 
ought  to  inquire  into,  before  he  engage  in  preaching  contro- 
versy, is  whether  the  false  doctrine  he  means  to  refute  has 
any  number  of  partizans  amongst  his  hearers;  or  whether 
there  be  any  immediate  danger  of  their  being  seduced  to  that 
opinion.  If  otherwise,  the  introduction  of  such  questions 
might  possibly  raise  doubts  where  formerly  there  were  none, 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


367 


and  at  any  rate,  unless  managed  with  uncommon  prudence 
and  temper,  have  rather  a tendency  that  is  unfavorable  to  the 
Christian  spirit,  and  in  narrow  minds  is  apt  to  beget  a sort 
of  bitterness  and  uncharitableness,  which  these  dignify  in 
themselves  with  the  name  of  zeal,  though  in  their  adversaries 
they  can  clearly  see  its  malignity.  At  the  same  time,  that  I 
give  these  caveats  against  the  abuse,  I by  no  means  deny  the 
occasional  expediency  and  use  of  controversy. 

As  to  the  fourth  and  last  species  of  thought  mentioned, 
moral  reflection,  or  what  is  sometimes  peculiarly  denominated 
sentiment ; there  is  much  less  hazard  that  in  this  we  should 
succeed.  Here  the  preacher,  if  he  is  at  all  judicious  in  his 
choice,  runs  less  risk  of  either  growing  tiresome  to  the  more 
improved  part  of  his  audience,  or  unintelligible  to  those  whose 
understandings  have  not  been  cultivated.  In  the  former, 
the  rational  powers  are  addressed ; in  this,  the  heart  and  the 
conscience.  Indeed,  I am  far  from  thinking,  that  these  two 
kinds  of  addresses  may  not  often  be  happily  blended  togeth- 
er ; particularly,  when  the  subject  relates  to  moral  conduct, 
an  address  of  the  latter  kind,  if  interwoven  with  a plain  nar- 
rative, will  frequently  prove  the  most  effectual  means  of  re- 
moving unfavorable  prepossessions,  engaging  affection  as  well 
as  satisfying  reason,  and  bringing  her  to  be  of  the  same  party. 
It  was  a method  often  and  successfully  employed  by  our  bless- 
ed Lord,  when  attacked  by  a Jewish  bigotry,  on  the  extent 
that  ought  to  be  given  to  the  love  of  our  neighbor.  The 
maxims  of  the  Pharisees,  like  those  of  all  bigots,  of  every  age, 
nation  and  profession,  were  very  illiberal ; and  measuring  the 
universal  Father,  by  their  own  contracted  span,  they  could 
not  bear  to  think  that  those  of  a different  nation,  and  still 
more  those  who  differed  in  religious  matters,  could  be  com- 
prehended under  it.  When  attacked  by  these  narrow-heart- 
ed zealots,  in  what  manner,  I pray  you,  doth  he  silence  con- 
tradiction, and  gain  every  susceptible  heart  over  to  his  side  ? 
Not  by  subtle  ratiocination  on  the  beauty  of  virtue,  or  on  the 
eternal  and  unalterable  fitness  of  things;  but  by  a simple  sto- 
ry, by  the  parable  of  the  compassionate  Samaritan,  in  the 
conclusion  of  which  he  shows,  that,  even  their  own  conscien- 
ces being  judges,  to  act  agreeably  to  the  more  extensive 
explanation  of  the  duty,  was  the  more  amiable  part, 
and  consequently  more  worthy  of  their  esteem  and  imitation. 
Again,  when  he  would  show,  that  even  the  profligate  are  not 
to  be  abandoned  to  despair,  with  what  an  amazing  superiori- 


368 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


ty  doth  he  subdue  tlie  most  unrelenting  pharisaic  pride  by 
the  parable  of  the  prodigal?  Who  ever  could  so  quickly  dis- 
sipate the  thickest  clouds  raised  by  inveterate  prejudices  and 
party-spirit,  and  render  the  only  unequivocal  standard  of  mo- 
ral truth,  the  characters  of  the  divine  law  engraven  on  the 
human  heart,  to  ail  who  are  not  wilfully  blind  distinctly  legi- 
ble ? Could  any  the  most  acute  and  elaborate  dissertation  on 
moral  rectitude,  or  the  essential  qualities  and  relations  of 
things,  have  produced  half  the  effect,  even  in  point  of  convic- 
tion, as  well  as  of  feeling  ? How  different  his  method  from 
that  of  the  ancient  sophists?  But  not  more  different  than 
their  aims.  Their  aim  was  to  make  men  talk  fluently  and 
plausibly  on  every  subject;  his,  to  make  them  think  justly 
and  act  uprightly. 

So  much  shall  suffice  for  what  regards  the  sentiments  or 
thoughts  in  general,  that  are  adapted  to  the  eloquence  of  the 
pulpit,  whether  narration,  explanation,  reasoning,  or  moral 
reflection.  On  this  head,  we  were  under  a necessity  of  being 
briefer  and  more  general,  as  it  is  here  that  a man’s  natural 
talents,  genius,  taste  and  judgment,  have  the  greatest  sway ; 
and  where  nature  has  denied  these  talents,  it  is  in  vain  to 
imagine  that  the  defect  can  ever  be  supplied  by  art.  Where- 
as the  principal  scope  for  the  exertions  of  art  and  education 
is  in  what  regards  language,  composition  and  arrangement. 
It  is  principally  in  what  regards  the  thought,  that  we  may 
say  universally,  whatever  be  the  species  of  eloquence  a man 
aims  to  attain,  everything  that  serves  to  improve  his  knowl- 
edge, discernment  and  good  sense,  serves  also  to  improve  him 
as  an  orator.  “ Scribendi  recte  sapere  est  et  principium  et 
fons.’^ 


LECTURE  III. 

OF  THE  EXPRESSION. 

In  my  last  lecture,  I treated  in  general  of  the  thought  or 
sentiment  of  the  discourse,  and  laid  before  you  some  reflec- 
tions on  the  different  sorts  into  which  it  is  distinguishable, 
narration,  explanation,  argumentation  and  moral  reflection, 
and  the  methods  whereby  each  ought  to  be  conducted  by  the 
Christian  orator.  I proceed  now  to  consider  what  may  prop- 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


369 


erly  be  called  the  expression  of  the  sentiments  by  language. 
By  this  word  I here  mean,  all  that  regards  the  enunciation  of 
the  thoughts  by  language.  It  is  by  this,  that  eloquence  holds 
of  grammar,  as  it  is  by  the  other,  that  she  holds  of  logic. 

A few  words  therefore  on  what  I may  call  the  grammatical 
expression,  before  I enter  on  the  consideration  of  the  rhetori- 
cal. The  work  of  the  grammarian  serves  as  a foundation  to 
that  of  the  rhetorician.  The  highest  aim  of  the  former  is  the 
lowest  aim  of  the  latter.  The  one  seeks  only  purity,  the 
other  superadds  elegance  and  energy.  Grammatical  purity 
in  any  language,  (suppose  English, that  in  which  every  preach- 
er in  this  country  is  chiefly  interested,)  requires  a careful  ob- 
servance of  these  three  things;  first,  that  the  words  employed 
be  English  words ; secondly,  that  they  be  construed  in  the 
English  idiom  ; thirdly,  that  they  be  made  to  present  to  the 
reader  or  hearer  the  precise  meaning,  which  good  use  hath 
affixed  to  them.  A trespass  against  the  first,  when  the  word 
is  not  English,  is  called  a barbarism  ; a trespass  against  the 
second,  when  the  fault  lies  in  the  construction,  is  termed  a 
solecism  ; a trespass  against  the  third,  when  the  word,  though 
English,  is  not  used  in  its  true  meaning,  is  denominated  an 
impropriety.  As  the  foundation  is  necessary  to  the  super- 
structure, so  an  attention  to  grammatical  purity  is  previously 
necessary  to  one  who  would  attain  the  elegant,  affecting,  and 
energetic  expression  of  the  orator.  Permit  me,  therefore,  to 
take  this  opportunity  of  recommending  to  you,  to  bestow 
some  time  and  attention  on  the  perusal  of  our  best  English 
grammars,  and  to  familiarize  yourselves  to  the  idiom  of  our 
best  and  purest  writers.  It  is,  I think,  a matter  of  some 
consequence,  and  therefore  ought  not  to  be  altogether  neg- 
lected by  the  student. 

I know  it  will  be  said,  that  when  all  a man’s  labor  is  em- 
ployed in  instructing  the  people  of  a country  parish,  to  which 
there  is  little  or  no  resort  of  strangers,  propriety  of  expression 
is  not  a matter  of  mighty  moment,  provided  he  speak  in  such 
a manner  as  to  be  intelligible  to  his  parishioners.  I admit 
the  truth  of  what  is  advanced  in  this  objection,  but  by  no 
means  the  consequence  which  the  objectors  seem  disposed  to 
draw  from  it.  I must  therefore  entreat  that  a few  things  may 
be  considered  on  the  other  hand.  And  first,  you  cannot 
know  for  certain,  where  it  may  please  Providence  that  your 
lot  should  be.  If  you  acquire  the  knowledge  of  the  language 
in  the  proper  acceptation  of  the  word,  you  acquire  a dialect 


370 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


which  will  make  you  understood  wherever  the  language  is 
spoken  ; for  as  the  English  translation  of  the  Bible,  and  as  all 
our  best  writings,  are  in  what  I may  call  the  general  and 
pure  idiom  of  the  tongue,  that  idiom  is  perfectly  well  under- 
stood even  by  those,  who  do  not  speak  with  propriety  them- 
selves. Whereas  if  you  neglect  grammatical  accuracy,  it  is 
a hundred  to  one,  that  many  of  your  words  and  phrases  will 
be  misunderstood  in  the  very  neighboring  district  or  county. 
And  even  though  they  should  be  intelligible  enough,  they 
have  a coarseness  and  vulgarity  in  them,  that  cannot  fail  to 
make  them  appear  to  men  of  knowledge  and  taste  ridiculous ; 
and  this  doth  inexpressible  injury  to  the  thought  conveyed 
under  them,  how  just  and  important  soever  it  be.  You  will 
say,  that  this  is  all  the  effect  of  mere  prejudice  in  the  hearers, 
consequently  unreasonable  and  not  to  be  regarded.  Be  it, 
that  this  is  prejudice  in  the  hearers,  and  therefore  unreason- 
able. It  doth  not  follow,  that  the  speaker  ought  to  pay  no 
Regard  to  it.  It  is  the  business  of  the  orator  to  accommodate 
himself  to  men,  such  as  he  sees  they  are,  and  not  such  as  he 
imagines  they  should  be.  A certain  pliancy  of  disposition  in 
regard  to  innocent  prejudices  and  defects,  is  what  in  our  in- 
tercourse with  the  world,  good  sense  necessarily  requires  of 
us,  candor  requires  of  us,  our  religion  itself  requires  of  us. 
It  is  this  very  disposition,  which  our  great  apostle  recom- 
mends by  his  own  example,  where  he  tells  us  that  he  ‘‘  be- 
came all  things  to  all  men,  that  he  might  by  all  means  save 
some.”  But  upon  impartial  examination,  the  thing  perhaps 
will  be  found  not  so  unreasonable,  as  at  first  sight  it  may 
appear.  A man  of  merit  and  breeding  you  may  disguise  by 
putting  him  in  the  apparel  of  a clown,  but  you  cannot  justly 
find  fault,  that  in  that  garb  he  meets  not  with  the  same  re- 
ception in  good  company,  that  he  would  meet  with  if  more 
suitably  habited.  The  outward  appearance  is  the  first  thing 
that  strikes  us  in  a person,  the  expression  is  the  first  thing 
that  strikes  us  in  a discourse.  Take  care  at  least,  that  in 
neither,  there  be  anything  to  make  an  unfavorable  impression, 
which  may  preclude  all  further  inquiry  and  regard.  It  was 
extremely  well  said  by  a very  popular  preacher  in  our  own 
days,  who  when  consulted  by  a friend  that  had  a mind  to 
publish,  whether  he  thought  it  befitting  a writer  on  religion 
to  attend  to  such  little  matters  as  grammatical  correctness, 
answered,  “ By  all  means.  It  is  much  better  to  write  so  as 
to  make  a critic  turn  Christian,  than  so  as  to  make  a Chris- 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


371 


tian  turn  critic.’’  The  answer  was  judicious  and  well  ex- 
pressed. That  the  thought  may  enter  deeply  into  the  mind 
of  the  reader  or  hearer,  there  is  need  of  all  the  assistance 
possible  from  the  expression.  Little  progress  can  it  be  ex- 
pected then,  that  the  former  shall  make,  if  there  be  anything 
in  the  latter,  which  serves  to  divert  the  attention  from  it. 
And  this  effect  at  least  of  diverting  the  attention,  even  mere 
grammatic' blunders  with  those  who  are  capable  of  discerning 

them,  are  but  too  apt  to  produce.  The  more  immediate  ob- 
ject with  us  is  rhetorical,  not  grammatical  expression ; and 
only  that  kind  of  the  former  which  is  specially  adapted  to  the 
Christian  oratory.  For  though  there  be  not  perhaps  any 
qualities  requisite  here,  which  may  not  with  good  effect  be 
employed  by  those  whose  province  it  is  to  harangue  from  the 
bar  or  in  the  senate,  and  though  there  be  very  few  of  the 
qualities  of  elocution,  which  may  not  on  some  occasions, 
with  great  propriety,  be  employed  from  the  pulpit ; yet  some 
of  them,  without  all  question,  are  more  essential  to  one 
species  of  oratory  than  to  another,  and  it  is  such  as  are  most 
adapted  to  the  discourses  with  which  we  are  here  concerned, 
that  I propose  now  particularly  to  consider.  Before  all  things 

then,  in  my  judgment,  the  preacher  ought  to  make  it  his  stu- 
dy, that  the  style  of  his  discourses  be  both  perspicuous  and 
affecting.  I shall  make  a few  observations  to  illustrate  each 
of  these  particulars. 

First  I say,  his  style  ought  to  be  perspicuous.  Though  it 
is  indeed  a most  certain  fact,  that  perspicuity  is  of  the  ut- 
most consequence  to  every  orator,  (for  what  valuable  end  can 
any  oration  answer,  which  is  not  understood?)  this  quality 
doubtless  ought  to  be  more  a study  to  the  Christian  orator 
than  to  any  other  whatever.  The  reason  is  obvious.  The 
more  we  are  in  danger  of  violating  any  rule  (especially  if 
it  be  a rule  of  the  last  importance),  the  more  circumspection 
we  ought  to  employ  to  avoid  that  danger.  Now  that  the 
preacher  must  be  in  much  greater  danger  in  this  respect  than 
any  other  public  speaker,  is  manifest  from  the  mixed  charac- 
ter at  best,  often  from  the  very  low  character  in  respect  of 
acquired  knowledge,  of  the  audience  to  whom  his  speech  is 
addressed.  Perspicuity  is  in  a great  measure  a relative 
quality.  A speech  may  be  perspicuous,  to  one,  which  to 
another  is  unintelligible.  It  is  possible  indeed  to  be  obscure 
in  pleading  before  the  most  learned  and  discerning  judges, 
because  the  pleader’s  style  may  be  remarkably  perplexed  and 


372 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


intricate;  but  without  any  perplexity  or  intricacy  of  style,  it 
is  even  more  than  possible,  that  a man  of  reading  and  educa- 
tion shall  speak  obscurely  when  he  addresses  himself  in  a set 
discourse  to  simple  and  illiterate  people.  There  is  a cause 
of  darkness  in  this  case,  totally  independent  of  the  grammati- 
cal structure  of  the  sentences,  and  the  general  character  of 
the  style.  It  is,  besides,  of  all  causes  of  obscurity,  that 
which  is  most  apt  to  escape  the  notice  of  a speaker.  Nothing 
is  more  natural  than  for  a man  to  imagine,  that  what  is  in- 
telligible to  him  is  so  to  every  body,  or  at  least  that  he  speaks 
with  sufficient  clearness,  when  he  uses  the  same  language 
and  in  equal  plainness,  with  that  in  which  he  hath  studied 
the  subject,  and  been  accustomed  to  read.  But  however 
safe  this  rule  of  judging  may  be  in  the  barrister  and  the 
senator,  who  generally  address  their  discourses  to  men  of 
similar  education  with  themselves,  and  of  equal  or  nearly 
equal  abilities  and  learning,  it  is  by  no  means  a proper  rule 
for  the  preacher,  one  destined  to  be  in  spiritual  matters  a 
guide  to  the  blind,  a light  to  them  who  are  in  darkness,  an 
instructer  of  the  foolish,  and  a teacher  of  babes.  Therefore, 
besides  the  ordinary  rules  of  perspicuity  in  respect  of  diction, 
which  in  common  with  every  other  public  speaker  he  ought 
to  attend  to,  he  must  advert  to  this  in  particular,  that  the 
terms  and  phrases  he  employs  in  his  discourse  be  not  beyond 
the  reach  of  the  inferior  ranks  of  people.  Otherwise  his 
preaching  is,  to  the  bulk  of  his  audience,  but  beating  the 
air  ; whatever  the  discourse  may  be  in  itself,  the  speaker  is  to 
them  no  better  than  a sounding  brass  or  a tinkling  cymbal. 
It  is  reported  of  Archbishop  Tillotson,  that  he  was  wont,  be- 
fore preaching  his  sermons,  to  read  them  privately  to  an  illit- 
erate old  woman  of  plain  sense,  who  lived  in  the  house  with 
him,  and  wherever  he  found  he  had  employed  any  word  or 
expression,  that  she  did  not  understand,  he  instantly  erased 
it,  and  substituted  a plainer  in  its  place,  till  he  brought  the 
style  down  to  her  level.  The  story  is  much  to  the  prelate’s 
honor;  for  however  incompetent  such  judges  might  be  of 
the  composition,  the  doctrine  or  the  argument,  they  are  cer- 
tainly the  most  competent  judges  of  what  terms  and  phrases 
fall  within  the  apprehension  of  the  vulgar,  the  class  to  which 
they  belong.  But  though  such  an  expedient  would  not 
answer  in  every  situation,  we  ought  at  least  to  supply  the 
want  of  it  by  making  it  more  an  object  of  attention  than  is 
commonly  done,  to  discover  what  in  point  of  language  falls 
within  and  what  without  the  sphere  of  the  common  people. 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


373 


Before  I dismiss  this  article  of  perspicuity,  I shall  mention 
briefly  a few  of  those  faults  by  which  it  is  most  commonly 
transgressed. 

The  first  is  pedantry,  or  an  ostentation  of  learning,  by  fre» 
quent  recourse  to  those  words  and  phrases  which  are  called 
technical,  and  which  are  in  use  only  among  the  learned. 
This  may  justly  be  denominated  the  worst  kind  of  obscurity y. 
because  it  is  always  an  intentional  obscurity.  In  other  cases 
a man  may  speak  obscurely,  without  knowing  it ; he  may  on 
some  subjects  speak  obscurely,  and  though  he  suspects  it^ 
may  not  have  it  in  his  power  to  remedy  it ; but  the  pedant 
affects  obscurity.  He  is  dark  of  purpose,  that  you  may  think 
him  deep.  The  character  of  a profound  scholar  is  his  pri- 
mary object.  Commonly  indeed  he  overshoots  the  mark,  and 
with  all  persons  of  discernment  loses  this  character  by  his 
excessive  solicitude  to  acquire  it.  The  pedant  in  literature 
is  perfectly  analogous  to  the  hypocrite  in  religion.  As  ap- 
pearance and  not  reality  is  the  great  study  of  each,  both  in 
mere  exteriors  far  outdo  the  truly  learned  and  the  pious,  with 
whom  the  reputation  of  learning  and  piety  is  but  a secondary 
object  at  the  most.  The  shallowness,  however,  of  such  pre- 
tenders rarely  escapes  the  discovery  of  the  judicious.  But  if 
falsehood  and  vanity  are  justly  accounted  mean  and  despica- 
ble, wherever  they  are  found  ; when  they  dare  to  show  them- 
selves in  the  pulpit,  a place  consecrated  to  truth  and  purity,  they 
must  appear  to  every  ingenuous  mind  perfectly  detestable.  Il 
must  be  owned,  however,  that  the  pedantic  style  is  not  now 
so  prevalent  in  preaching,  as  it  hath  been  in  former  times, 
and  therefore  needs  not  to  be  further  enlarged  on.  There  is 
indeed  a sort  of  literary  diction,  which  sometimes  the  inex- 
perienced are  ready  to  fall  into  insensibly,  from  their  having 
been  much  more  accustomed  to  the  school  and  to  the  closet, 
to  the  works  of  some  particular  schemer  in  philosophy,  than 
to  the  scenes  of  real  life  and  conversation.  This  fault,  though 
akin  to  the  former,  is  not  so  bad,  as  it  may  be  without  affec- 
tation, and  when  there  is  no  special  design  of  catching  ap- 
plause. It  is,  indeed,  most  commonly  the  consequence  of 
an  immoderate  attachment  to  some  one  or  other  of  the  vari- 
ous systems  of  ethics  or  theology  that  have  in  modern  times 
been  published,  and  obtained  a vogue  among  their  respective 
partizans.  Thus  the  zealous  disciple  of  Shaftsbury,  Aken- 
side  and  Hutcheson,  is  no  sooner  licensed  to  preach  the  gos- 
pel, than  with  the  best  intentions  in  the  world,  he  harangues 


374 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


the  people  from  the  pulpit  on  the  moral  sense  and  universal 
benevolence,  he  sets  them  to  inquire  whether  there  be  a per- 
fect conformity  in  their  affections  to  the  supreme  symmetry 
established  in  the  universe,  he  is  full  of  the  sublime  and 
beautiful  in  things,  the  moral  objects  of  right  and  wrong,  and 
the  proportionable  affection  of  a rational  creature  towards 
them.  He  speaks  much  of  the  inward  music  of  the  mind, 
the  harmony  and  the  dissonance  of  the  passions,  and  seems, 
by  his  way  of  talking,  to  imagine,  that  if  man  have  this  same 
moral  sense,  which  he  considers  as  the  mental  ear,  in  due 
perfection,  he  may  tune  his  soul  with  as  much  ease  as  a mu- 
sician tunes  a musical  instrument.  The  disciple  of  Doctor 
Clarke,  on  the  contrary,  talks  to  us  in  somewhat  of  a soberer 
strain,  and  less  pompous  phrase,  but  not  a jot  more  edifying, 
about  unalterable  reason  and  the  eternal  fitness  of  things, 
about  the  conformity  of  our  actions  to  their  immutable  rela- 
tions and  essential  differences.  All  the  various  sects  or  par- 
ties in  religion  have  been  often  accused  of  using  a peculiar 
dialect  of  their  own,  when  speaking  on  religious  subjects, 
which  though  familiar  to  the  votaries  of  the  party,  appears 
extremely  uncouth  to  others.  The  charge,  I am  sensible, 
is  not  without  foundation,  though  all  parties  are  not  in  this 
respect  equally  guilty.  We  see,  however,  that  the  different 
systems  of  philosophy,  especially  that  branch  which  comes 
under  the  denomination  of  .pneumatology,  are  equally  liable 
to  this  imputation  with  systems  of  theology.  I would  not  be 
understood,  from  anything  I have  said,  to  condemn  in  the 
gross  either  the  books  or  systems  alluded  to.  They  have 
their  excellences  as  well  as  their  blemishes ; and  as  to  many 
of  the  points  in  which  they  seem  to  differ  from  one  another, 
I am  satisfied  that  the  difference  is,  like  some  of  our  theologi- 
cal disputes,  more  verbal  than  real.  Let  us  read  even  on  op- 
posite sides,  but  still  so  as  to  preserve  the  freedom  of  our 
judgment  in  comparing,  weighing  and  deciding,  so  that  we 
can  with  justice  apply  to  ourselves,  in  regard  to  all  human 
teachers,  the  declaration  of  the  poet, 

Nullius  addictiis  jurare  in  verba  magislri. 

And  even  in  some  cases,  wherein  we  approve  the  thought  in 
any  of  those  authors,  it  may  not  be  proper  to  adopt  the  lan- 
guage. The  adage,  which  enjoins  us  to  think  with  the  learn- 
ed, but  speak  with  the  vulgar,  is  not  to  be  understood  as  en- 
joining us  to  dissemble ; but  not  to  make  a useless  parade  of 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


375 


learning,  particularly  to  avoid  everything  in  point  of  language 
which  would  put  the  sentiments  we  mean  to  convey  beyond 
the  reach  of  those  with  whom  we  converse.  It  was  but  just 
now  admitted,  that  the  different  sects  or  denominations  of 
Christians  had  their  several  and  peculiar  dialects.  I would 
advise  the  young  divine,  in  forming  his  style  in  sacred  mat- 
ters, to  avoid  as  much  as  possible  the  peculiarities  of  each. 
The  language  of  Holy  Scripture  and  of  common  sense  af- 
fords him  a sufficient  standard.  And  with  regard  to  the  dis- 
tinguishing phrases,  which  our  factions  in  religion  have  in- 
troduced, though  these  sometimes  may  appear  to  superficial 
people  and  half  thinkers  sufficiently  perspicuous,  the  appear- 
ance is  a mere  illusion.  The  generality  of  men,  little  ac- 
customed to  reflection,  are  so  constituted,  that  what  their 
ears  have  been  long  familiarized  to,  however  obscure  in  itself, 
or  unmeaning  it  be,  seems  perfectly  plain  to  them.  They 
are  well  acquainted  with  the  terms,  expressions  and  custom- 
ary application,  and  they  look  no  farther.  A great  deal  of 
the  learning  in  divinity  of  such  of  our  common  people  as 
think  themselves,  and  are  sometimes  thought  by  others, 
wonderful  scholars,  is  of  this  sort.  It  is  generally  the  fruit 
of  much  application,  strong  memory  and  weak  judgment,  and 
consisting  mostly  of  mere  words  and  phrases,  is  of  that  kind 
of  knowledge  which  pufleth  up,  gendereth  self-conceit,  that 
species  of  it  in  particular  known  by  the  name  of  spiritual 
pride,  captiousness,  censoriousness,  jealousy,  malignity,  but 
by  no  means  ministereth  to  the  edifying  of  the  hearers  in 
love.  This  sort  of  knowledge  I denominate  learned  igno- 
rance, of  all  sorts  of  ignorance  the  most  difficult  to  be  sur- 
mounted, agreeably  to  the  observation  of  Solomon,  “ Seest 
thou  a man  wise  in  his  own  conceit,  there  is  more  hope  of 
a fool  than  of  him.”  Would  you  avoid  then  feeding  the 
vanity  of  your  hearers,  supplying  them  with  words  instead 
of  sense,  amusing  them  with  curious  questions  and  verbal 
controversies,  instead  of  furnishing  them  with  useful  and 
practical  instruction,  detach  yourselves  from  the  artificial, 
ostentatious  phraseology  of  every  scholastic,  or  system  build- 
er in  theology,  and  keep  as  close  as  possible  to  the  pure  style 
of  holy  writ,  which  the  apostle  calls  “ the  sincere  or  unadul- 
terated milk  of  the  word.”  The  things,  which  the  Holy 
Spirit  hath  taught  by  the  prophets  and  apostles,  give  not  in 
the  words  which  man’s  wisdom  teacheth,  but  in  the  words 
which  the  Holy  Spirit  teacheth,  a much  more  natural  and 


376 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


suitable  language.  But  be  particularly  attentive  that  the 
Scripture  expressions  employed  be  both  plain  and  apposite. 
The  word  of  God  itself  may  be,  and  often  is  handled  un- 
skilfully. Would  the  preacher  carefully  avoid  this  charge, 
let  him  first  be  sure  that  he  hath  himself  a distinct  meaning 
to  everything  he  advanceth,  and  next  examine,  whether  the 
expression  he  intends  to  use  be  a clear-  and  adequate  enunci- 
tion  of  that  meaning.  For  if  it  is  true,  that  a speaker  is 
sometimes  not  understood,  because  he  doth  not  express  his 
meaning  with  sufficient  clearness,  it  is  also  true  that  some- 
times he  is  not  understood,  because  he  hath  no  meaning  to 
express. 

The  last  advice  I would  give  on  the  head  of  perspicuity  is, 
in  composing,  to  aim  at  a certain  simplicity  in  the  structure 
of  your  sentences,  avoiding  long,  intricate  and  complex  pe- 
riods. Remember  always  that  the  bulk  of  the  people  are 
unused  to  reading  and  study.  They  lose  sight  of  the  con- 
nection in  very  long  sentences,  and  they  are  quite  bewilder- 
ed, when,  for  the  sake  of  rounding  a period,  and  suspending 
the  sense  till  the  concluding  clause,  you  transgress  the  cus- 
tomary arrangement  of  the  words.  The  nearer  therefore 
your  diction  comes  to  the  language  of  conversation,  it  will 
be  the  more  familiar  to  them,  and  so  the  more  easily  appre- 
hended. In  this  too  the  style  of  Scripture  is  an  excellent 
model.  So  much  for  perspicuity. 

The  next  quality  I mentioned  in  the  style,  was,  that  it  be 
affecting.  Though  this  has  more  particularly  a place  in 
thbsemscourses,  which  admit  and  even  require  a good  deal 
of  the  pathetic,  yet,  in  a certain  degree,  it  ought  to  accom- 
pany everything  that  comes  from  the  pulpit.  All  from  that 
quarter  is  conceived  to  be,  mediately  or  immediately,  con- 
nected with  the  most  important  interests  of  mankind.  This 
gives  a propriety  to  the  affecting  rhanner  in  a certain  degree, 
whatever  be  the  particular  subject.  It  is  this  quality  in 
preaching,  to  which  the  French  critics  have  given  the  name 
of  onction,  and  which  they  explain  to  be,  an  affecting  sweet- 
ness of  manner  which  engages  the  heart.  It  is  indeed  that 
\yarmth,  and  gentle  emotion  in  the  address  and  language, 
which  serves  to  show,  that  the  speaker  is  much  in  earnest  in 
what  he  says,  and  is  actuated  to  say  it  from  the  tenderest 
concern  for  the  welfare  of  his  hearers.  As  this  character, 
however,  can  be  considered  only  as  a degree  of  that  which 
comes  under  the  general  denomination  of  pathetic,  we  shall 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


377 


have  occasion  to  consider  it  more  fully  afterwards.  It  is 
enough  here  to  observe,  that  as  the  general  strain  of  pulpit 
expression  ought  to  be  seasoned  with  this  quality,  this  doth 
necessarily  itnply,  that  the  language  be  ever  grave  and 
serious.  The  necessity  of  this  results  from  the  consideration 
of  the  very  momentous  effect  which  preaching  was  intended 
to  produce;  as  the  necessity  of  perspicuity,  the  first  quality 
mentioned,  results  from  the  consideration  of  the  character 
sustained  by  the  hearers.  That  the  effect  designed  by  this 
institution,  namely  the  reformation  of  mankind,  requires  a 
certain  seriousness,  which  though  occasionally  requisite  in 
other  public  speakers,  ought  uniformly  to  be  preserved  by 
the  preacher,  is  a truth  that  will  scarcely  be  doubted  by  any 
person  who  reflects.  This  may  be  said  in  some  respect  to 
narrow  his  compass  in  [persuasion,  as  it  will  not  permit  the 
same  free  recourse  to  humor,  wit  and  ridicule,  which  often 
prove  powerful  auxiliaries  to  other  orators  at  the  bar  and  in 
the  senate,  agreeably  to  the  observation  of  the  poet, 

Ridiculum  aeri 

Fortius  et  melius  magnas  plerumque  secal  res. 

At  the  same  time,  I am  very  sensible  that  an  air  of  ridicule 
in  disproving  or  dissuading,  by  rendering  opinions  or  prac- 
tices contemptible,  hath  been  attempted  with  approbation  by 
preachers  of  great  name.  I can  only  say  that  when  the  con- 
temptuous manner  is  employed  (which  ought  to  be  very  sel- 
dom) it  requires  to  be  managed  with  the  greatest  delicacy. 
For  time  and  place  and  occupation  seem  all  incompatible 
with  the  levity  of  ridicule;  they  render  jesting  impertinence, 
and  laughter  madness.  Therefore  anything  from  the  pulpit, 
which  might  provoke  this  emotion,  would  now  be  justly 
deemed  an  unpardonable  offence  against  both  piety  and  de- 
corum. In  order,  however,  to  prevent  mistakes,  permit  me 
here,  in  passing,  to  make  a remark  that  may  be  called  a 
digression,  as  it  immediately  concerns  my  own  province 
only.  The  remark  is,  that  in  these  prelections,  I do  not  con- 
sider myself  as  limited  by  the  laws  of  preaching.  There  is 
a difference  between  a school,  even  a theological  school  and 
a church,  a professor’s  chair  and  a pulpit;  there  is  a differ- 
ence between  graduates  in  philosophy  and  the  arts,  and  a 
common  congregation.  And  though  in  some  things,  not  in 
all,  there  be  a coincidence  in  the  subject,  yet  the  object  is 
different.  In  the  former,  it  is  purely  the  information  of  the 


378  LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 

hearers,  in  the  latter,  it  is  ultimately  their  reformation.  I 
shall  not  therefore  hesitate,  in  this  place,  to  borrow  aid  from 
whatever  may  serve  innocently  to  illustrate,  enliven  or  en- 
force any  part  of  my  subject,  and  keep  awake  the  attention 
of  my  hearers,  which  is  but  too  apt  to  flag  at  hearing  the  most 
rational  discourse,  if  there  be  nothing  in  it,  which  can  either 
move  the  passions,  or  please  the  imagination.  The  nature 
of  my  department  excludes  almost  everything  of  the  former 
kind,  or  what  may  be  called  pathetic.  A little  of  the  onction 
above  explained  is  the  utmost  that  here  ought  to  be  aspired 
to.  There  is  the  less  need  to  dispense  with  what  of  the  lat- 
ter kind  may  be  helpful  for  rousing  attention.  I hope, 
therefore,  to  be  indulged  the  liberty,  a liberty  which  I shall 
use  very  sparingly,  of  availing  myself  of.  the  plea  of  the 
satirist, 

Ridentem  dicere  verum 
Quid  vetat? 

So  much  for  the  perspicuous  and  the  affecting  manner, 
qualities  in  the  style  which  ought  particularly  to  predomi- 
nate in  all  discourses  from  the  pulpit.  There  are  other 
graces  of  elocution,  which  may  occasionally  find  a place 
there,  such  as  the  nervous,  the  elegant,  and  some  others; 
but  the  former  ought  never  to  be  wanting.  The  former 
therefore  are  characteristic 'qualities.  The  latter  are  so  far 
from  being  such,  that  sometimes  they  are  rather  of  an  oppo- 
site tendency.  The  nervous  style  requires  a conciseness, 
that  is  often  unfriendly  to  that  perfect  perspicuity  which 
ought  to  predominate  in  all  that  is  addressed  to  the  Chris- 
tian people,  and  which  leads  a speaker  rather  to  be  diffuse 
in  his  expression,  that  he  may  the  better  adapt  himself  to  or- 
dinary capacities.  Elegance  too  demands  a certain  polish, 
that  is  not  always  entirely  compatible  with  that  artless  sim- 
plicity, with  which,  when  the  great  truths  of  religion  are 
adorned,  they  appear  always  to  the  most  advantage,  and  in 
the  truest  majesty.  They  are  “ when  unadorn’d,  adorn’d  the 
most.” 

We  have  now  done  with  what  regards  in  general  the  sen- 
timent and  the  elocution.  The  next  lecture  shall  be  on  the 
pronunciation. 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


379 


LECTUEE  IV. 

OF  PRONUNCIATION. 

I have  in  the  two  preceding  discourses  finished  what  re- 
gards in  general  the  sentiments  and  the  elpcution  proper  for 
the  pulpit.  I intend  in  the  present  discourse  to  discuss  the 
article  of  pronunciation.  This  admits  the  same  division, 
which  was  observed  in  the  former  branch,  into  grammatical 
and  rhetorical.  The  former  was  by  the  Greeks  denomi- 
ted  iyicpcovrjciig^  the  latter  VTioaeioig.  As  it  is  of  the  utmost 
consequence,  when  we  are  entering  on  the  examination  of 
any  article,  that  we  form  precise  ideas  of  the  subject  of  in- 
quiry, and  do  not  confound  things  in  themselves  distinct,  I 
shall  begin  this  lecture  with  a definition  of  each  of  these,  to 
which  I must  beg  leave  to  entreat  your  attention,  that  so 
none  may  be  at  a loss  about  the  meaning  or  application  of 
what  shall  be  advanced  in  the  sequel.  As  to  the  first,  then ; 
grammatical  pronunciation  consisteth  in  articulating  audibly 
and  dlSlmctly  the  letters,  whether  vowels  or  consonants,  as- 
signing to  each  its  appropriated  sound,  in  giving  the  several 
syllables  their  just  quantity,  and  in  placing  the  accent,  or  as 
some  call  it,  the  syllabic  emphasis,  in  every  word  on  the 
proper  syllable.  As  to  the  second ; rhetorical  pronunciation 
consisteth  in  giving  such  an  utterance  to  the  several  words 
in  a sentence,  as  shows  in  the  mind  of  the  speaker  a strong 
perception,  or  as  it  were  feeling  of  the  truth  and  justness  of 
the  thought  conveyed  by  them,  and  in  placing  the  rhetorical 
emphasis  in  every  sentence,  on  the  proper  word,  that  is,  on 
that  word  which,  by  being  pronounced  emphatically,  gives 
the  greatest  energy  and  clearness  to  the  expression.  Under 
this  head  is  also  comprehended  gesture ; as  both  imply  a 
kind  of  natural  expression,  superadded  to  that  conveyed  by 
artificial  signs,  or  the  words  of  the  language.  Under  the 
term  gesture,  I would  be  understood  to  comprehend  not  only 
the  action  of  the  eyes  and  other  features  of  the  countenance, 

' but  also  that  which  results  from  the  motion  of  the  hands  and 
carriage  of  the  body.  This  together  with  the  proper  man- 
agement of  the  voice  was  all  comprised  under  the  Greek 
word  vTZoasLfJtgy  borrowed  from  the  theatre,  but  which,  for  want 
of  a term  of  equal  extent  in  our  language,  we  are  forced  to  in- 


380  LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 

elude  under  the  name  pronunciation.  Now  these  two  kinds  of 
pronunciation,  the  grammatical  and  the  rhetorical,  are  so 
perfectly  distinct,  that  each  may  be  found  in  a very  eminent 
degree  without  the  other.  The  first  indeed  is  merely  an 
effect  of  education  ; insomuch  that  one  who  has  had  the 
good  fortune  to  be  brought  up  in  a place  where  the  language 
is  spoken  in  purity,  and  has  been  taught  to  read  by  a suffi- 
cient teacher,  must  inevitably,  if  he  labors  under  no  natural 
defect  in  the  organs  of  speech,  be  master  of  grammatical 
pronunciation.  The  second  is  more  properly,  in  its  origin, 
the  production  of  nature,  but  is  capable  of  being  consider- 
ably improved  and  polished  by  education.  The  natural  qual- 
ities which  combine  in  producing  it,  are  an  exquisite  sensi- 
bility joined  with  a good  ear  and  flexible  voice.  An  English- 
man, who  hath  been  properly  educated,  and  always  in  good 
company,  as  the  phrase  is,  that  is,  in  the  company  of  those 
who,  by  a kind  of  tacit  consent,  are  allowed  to  take  the  lead 
in  language,  may  pronounce  so  as  to  defy  the  censure  of  the 
most  critical  grammarian,  and  yet  be,  in  the  judgment  of 
the  rhetorician,  a most  languid  and  inanimate  speaker,  one 
who  knows  nothing  at  all  of  the  oratorical  pronunciation. 
Speakers  you  will  often  find  in  the  house  of  commons,  who 
are  perfect  in  the  one  and  totally  deficient  in  the  other.  On 
the  other  hand,  you  will  find  speakers  of  this  country  who, 
in  respect  of  the  last,  have  considerable  talents,  insomuch 
that  they  can  excite  and  fix  attention,  that  they  can  both 
please  and  move,  that  their  voice  seems  capable  alike  of  be- 
ing modulated  to  sooth  the  passions  or  to  inflame  them,  yet 
in  whose  pronunciation  a grammarian  may  discover  innu- 
merable defects.  There  is  this  difference,  however,  be- 
tween the  two  cases,  that  though  the  grammatical  pronunci- 
ation may  be  perfect  in  its  kind  without  the  rhetorical,  the 
last  is  never  in  perfection  without  the  first.  The  art  of  the 
grammarian  in  this,  as  in  the  former  article  of  expression, 
serves  as  a foundation  to  that  of  the  orator.  It  will  be  proper 
therefore  to  begin  with  a few  remarks  upon  the  former. 

That  a right  grammatical  pronunciation  will  deserve  some 
regard  from  us,  appears  from  the  same  reasons,  which  evince 
that  grammatical  expression  deserves  some  regard.  Those 
reasons  therefore  shall  not  be  now  repeated.  There  is,  how- 
ever, it  must  be  acknowledged,  a considerable  difference  be- 
tween the  two  cases.  And  the  former  attempt  is  much  more 
hazardous  than  the  latter.  If  we  aim  no  higher,  than  that 


LECTURES  ON  PULUIT  ELOQUENCE. 


381 


the  words  we  use,  the  application  and  the  construction  be 
proper  English,  (which  is  all  that  grammatical  expression  re- 
quires,) we  shall  never  run  the  risk  of  the  charge  of  affecta- 
tion, than  which,  I know  no  imputation  that  is  more  preju- 
dicial to  the  orator.  Whereas  a forced  and  unnatural,  because 
unaccustomed  pronunciation,  and  the  awkward  mouthing 
which  the  attempt  often  occasions,  as  it  falls  within  the  obser- 
vation of  the  generality  of  hearers,  so  it  is  more  disgusting  to 
hearers  of  taste  and  discernment,  than  perhaps  any  provin- 
cial accent  whatsoever.  Shall  we  then  give  up  all  attempts 
this  way  ? I do  not  say  that  neither.  But  let  us  keep  a 
proper  medium  in  our  attempts,  and  never  strain  beyond 
what  we  can  effect  with  ease.  Let  us  begin  by  avoiding  the 
most  faulty  pronunciations  we  can  discover  in  ourselves,  or 
which  have  been  remarked  to  us  by  others;  and  let  us  en- 
deavor to  avoid  them  not  in  the  pulpit  only,  but  in  common 
conversation.  It  would  be  a matter  of  considerable  conse- 
quence for  this  as  well  as  for  more  material  purposes,  that 
young  men  of  an  ingenuous  temper  and  good  sense,  who  hap- 
pen to  be  companions,  should  mutually  agree  to  serve  as 
checks  and  monitors  to  one  another.  1 know  not  anything 
which  would  contribute  more  to  prevent  the  contracting  of 
ungainly  habits,  or  to  correct  them  tiniely  when  contracted. 
“ A friend’s  eye,”  says  the  proverb,  ‘‘  is  a good  mirror.” 
And  every  one  must  be  sensible,  that  there  are  several  kinds 
of  faults  and  improprieties,  which  totally  elude  the  discovery 
of  the  person  chargeable  with  them,  but  which  by  no  means 
escape  the  notice  of  the  attentive  spectator  or  auditor.  I 
said  that  when  a faulty  manner  in  pronouncing  is  discover- 
ed, it  ought  to  be  avoided  not  in  the  pulpit  only,  but  in  con- 
versation. The  nearer  our  manner  of  pronouncing  in  the 
pulpit  is  to  that  we  daily  use,  the  more  easy  and  the  more 
natural  it  will  appear.  Example,  as  in  everything,  so  here 
in  particular,  goes  a great  way.  Let  us  therefore  attend  to 
the  manner  of  the  best  speakers,  to  whose  company  w’e  have 
access,  and  we  shall  insensibly  conform  ourselves  to  it.  It  is 
by  such  insensible,  more  than  by  any  intentional  imitation, 
that  every  man  acquires  the  speech  and  pronunciation  which 
he  uses.  And  by  the  like  easy  and  gradual  influence  of  ex- 
ample, by  which  a faulty  pronunciation  was  contracted,  it 
will  best  be  cured.  The  only  caution  necessary  on  this  arti- 
cle is,  that  we  be  very  sure  as  to  the  choice  we  make  of  pat- 
terns, lest  unluckily  we  imitate  blemishes  for  excellences. 


382 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


and  be  at  great  pains  in  acquiring,  what  we  ought  rather  to 
be  at  pains  to  avoid.  Grammars  and  dictionaries  may  be  of 
some  use  here,  but  are  not  sufficient  without  other  aid.  Dis- 
tinctions only  discernible  by  the  ear,  can  never  be  adequate- 
ly conveyed  merely  by  the  eye.  There  is  one  part  of  pro- 
nunciation, however,  and  a very  important  part,  which  may 
be  learned  solely  by  book,  that  is,  the  placing  of  the  accent 
or  syllabic  emphasis.  So  much  for  grammatical  pronuncia- 
tion. 

As  to  the  rhetorical  pronunciation,  there  is  not  anything 
so  peculiar  in  the  Christian  eloquence,  as  to  require  that  we 
make  any  addition  of  moment  to  the  rules  on  this  subject 
laid  down  in  the  best  institutes  of  rhetoric,  which  I recom- 
mend to  your  serious  perusal.  I shall  only  remark  to  you  a 
few  of  the  chief  and  most  common  faults  in  this  way,  observ- 
able in  preachers,  and  suggest  some  hints,  by  a due  attention 
to  which,  one  may  attain  the  right  management  of  the  voice, 
and  be  enabled  to  avoid  those  faults.  The  first  I shall  ob- 
serve, though  not  in  itself  a very  great,  yet  is  a very  common 
fault,  and  often  proves  the  source  of  several  others  ; it  is  the 
straining  of  the  voice  beyond  its  natural  key,  commonly  the 
effect  of  a laudable  desire  to  make  one’s  self  be  heard  in  a 
large  congregation.  This,  however,  is  one  of  those  expe- 
dients, that  rarely  fail  to  defeat  the  purpose  which  occasioned 
them.  What  is  thus  spoken  in  a forced  tone,  (though  the 
note  in  a musical  scale  emitted  by  the  voice  be  higher,)  is 
neither  so  distinct,  nor  so  audible,  as  what  is  spi  ken  in  the 
natural  tone  of  voice.  There  is  a very  great  difference  be- 
tween speaking  high,  and  speaking  loud:  though  these  two 
are  often  confounded.  Women’s  voices  are  a full  octave 
higher  or  shriller  (for  that  is  all  the  term  means)  than  men’s, 
and  yet  they  are  much  less  fitted  for  being  heard  in  a large 
auditory.  In  a chime  or  music  bells  the  bass  notes  are  all 
struck  on  the  biggest  bells,  and  the  treble  notes  on  the  small- 
est. Accordingly  the  former  are  heard  at  a distance,  which 
the  feeble  sound  of  the  other  cannot  reach.  The  same  thing 
may  be  observed  of  the  pipes  in  an  organ.  Besides,  it  is  a 
much  greater  stress  to  the  speaker,  to  hold  out  with  his  voice 
raised  ever  so  little  above  its  natural  pitch,  and  it  lays  him 
under  several  disadvantages  in  respect  of  pronunciation,  of 
which  I shall  have  occasion  to  take  notice  afterwards. 

A second  fault  which  is  very  common  with  preachers  is  too 
great  rapidity  of  utterance.  This  is  an  ordinary,  though  not 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


883 


a necessary  consequence  of  committing  a discourse  to  mem- 
ory and  repeating  it.  A person,  without  particularly  guard- 
ing against  it,  is  apt  to  contract  an  impatience  to  deliver  the 
words,  as  fast  as  they  occur  to  his  mind,  that  so  he  may  give 
them  to  the  audience,  whilst  he  is  sure  he  can  do  it.  This 
also  is  a great  hinderance  to  the  attainment  of  an  affecting 
or  energetic  pronunciation  ; besides  that  it  greatly  fatigues 
the  attention  of  the  hearer,  whom,  after  all,  many  things  must 
escape,  which  otherwise  he  might  have  retained. 

A third  fault  I shall  observe  is  a theatrical  and  too  violent 
manner.  This,  though  it  seems  to  proceed  from  a commend- 
able ardor,  sins  against  propriety  in  many  ways.  It  suits  not 
the  gravity  of  the  subject ; and  to  appear  destitute  of  all  com- 
mand of  one’s  self  doth  not  befit  one  who  would  teach  others 
to  obtain  a perfect  mastery  over  their  passions.  The  preach- 
er’s manner  in  general  ought  to  be  modest,  at  the  same  time 
earnest  and  affecting. 

A fourth  fault,  which  is  indeed  the  opposite  extreme  to  that 
now  mentioned,  is  an  insipid  monotony,  by  which  everything 
that  is  said,  whether  narration,  explanation,  argumentation  or 
address  to  the  passions,  is  uniformly  and  successively  articu- 
lated in  the  same  listless,  lifeless*  manner.  And  this  is  a 
much  greater  fault  than  the  preceding.  The  former  offends 
only  hearers  of  taste  and  reflection,  but  the  latter,  all  who 
can  either  understand  or  feel.  The  preacher,  in  such  a case 
exhibits  the  appearance  of  a school-boy  who  repeats  a lesson 
he  hath  conned  over,  but  who  doth  not  form  a single  idea  of 
what  he  is  saying  from  beginning  to  end. 

The  fifth,  and  only  other  remarkable  fault  in  pronuncia- 
tion I shall  mention,  is  a sing-song  manner;  or  what  we  com- 
monly call  a cant,  which  is  something  like  a measure  of  a tune, 
that  the  preacher  uninterrnittedly  runs  over,  till  he  conclude 
his  discourse.  This,  as  a kind  of  relief  to  the  lungs,  is  what 
a strained  voice  (the  fault  in  speaking  first  mentioned)  when 
it  becomes  habitual,  generally  terminates  in,  and  though  it 
hath  not  the  same  air  of  indifference  with  the  monotony,  is 
in  other  respects  liable  to  the  same  objections.  It  marks  no 
difference  in  the  nature  of  the  things  said,  and  consequently 
(though  the  tune  itself  were  not  unpleasant)  it  may  prove  a 
lullaby,  and  dispose  the  hearers  to  sleep,  but  is  quite  unfit 
for  awakening  their  attention.  Both  the  last  mentioned 
faults  are  the  too  frequent  (not  the  unavoidable)  consequence 
of  the  common  method  of  rehearsing  a discourse  by  rote, 


384 


LECTURES  ON  PULVIT  ELOQUENCE. 


which  has  been  verbatim  committed  to  memory.  This  very 
naturally  leads  the  speaker  to  fix  the  closest  attention  on  the 
series  of  the  words  prepared,  that  he  may  not  lose  the  thread. 
And  this  as  naturally  carries  off  his  attention  entirely  from 
the  thought. 

The  consideration  of  these  things  hath  often  led  me  to 
doubt,  which  of  the  two  methods  of  delivery,  reading  or  re- 
peating, we  ought  to  recommend  to  students,  or  at  least  which 
of  the  two,  if  universal,  would  probably  have  the  best  effect, 
and  be  attended  with  fewest  disadvantages.  I shall  candidly 
lay  before  you,  what  hath  occurred  to  my  thoughts,  on  this 
subject,  and  leave  it  to  every  one’s  own  judgment  to  decide 
for  himself  That  a discourse  well  spoken  hath  a stronger 
effect  than  one  well  read,  will  hardly  bear  a question.  From 
this  manifest  truth  1 very  early  concluded,  and  was  long  of 
opinion,  that  the  way  of  reading  sermons  should  be  absolute- 
ly banished  from  the  pulpit.  But  from  farther  experience,  1 
am  now  disposed  to  suspect,  that  this  conclusion  was  rather 
hasty.  Though  by  proper  culture  the  powers  of  oratory  may 
be  very  much  improved,  yet  by  no  culture  whatever  will  these 
powers  be  created,  where  nature  hath  denied  them.  A cer- 
tain original  and  natural  talent  or  genius  for  art  to  work  upon 
is  as  necessary  in  the  orator,  as  in  the  poet.  Now  if  all,  who 
have  the  ministry  in  view,  were  possessed  of  this  natural  tal- 
ent, the  conclusion  we  mentioned  would  certainly  be  just. 
But  so  far  is  this  from  being  the  case,  that  experience  plainly 
teacheth  us,  it  is  the  portion  of  very  few.  But  though  there 
be  not  many,  who  will  ever  arrive  at  the  pathos,  the  irresisti- 
ble force  of  argument  and  the  sublimity,  in  which  the  glory 
of  eloquence  consists,  there  are  not  a few  who  by  a proper 
application  of  their  time  and  study,  will  be  capable  of  com- 
posing  justly,  of  expressing  themselves  not  only  with  perspi- 
cuity, but  with  energy,  and  of  reading,  I say  not  in  a proper 
and  inoffensive,  but  even  in  an  affecting  manner.  So  much 
more  common  are  the  talents  necessary  for  the  one  accom- 
plishment, than  those  requisite  for  the  other.  I have  indeed 
heard  this  point  controverted,  and  people  maintain,  that  it 
was  as  easy  to  acquire  the  talent  of  repeating  with  energy 
and  propriety,  as  of  reading.  But  I could  hardly  ever  think 
them  serious  who  said  so,  or  at  least  that  they  had  duly  ex- 
amined the  subject.  There  are  no  doubt,  degrees  of  excel- 
lence in  reading,  as  well  as  in  repeating,  and  they  are  but 
few,  that  attain  to  the  highest  degree  in  either.  But  in  what 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


385 


may  be  regarded  as  good  in  its  kind,  though  not  the  best, 
I speak  within  bounds  when  I say,  that  I have  found  six  good 
readers,  for  one  who  repeated  tolerably.  As  to  niy  personal 
experience,  I shall  frankly  tell  you  what  I know  to  be  fact. 
I have  tried  both  ways ; I continued  long  in  the  practice  of‘ 
repeating,  and  was  even  thought,  (if  people  did  not  very  niuchi 
deceive  me,)  to  succeed  in  it;  but  I arn  absolutely  certain, 
that  I can  give  more  energy,  and  preserve  the  attention  of 
the  hearers  better,  to  what  I read,  than  ever  it  was  in  my  pow- 
er to  do  to  what  I repeated.  Nor  is  it  any  wonder.  There 
are  difficulties  to  be  surmounted  in  the  latter  case,  which 
have  no  place  at  all  in  the  former.  The  talents  in  other  re- 
spects are  the  same,  that  fit  one  to  excel  in  either  way.  Now 
as  it  will,  I believe,  be  admitted  by  everybody  who  reflects, 
that  a discourse  well  read  is  much  better  than  one  ill  spoken,. 
I should  not  think  it  prudent  to  establish  any  general  rule, 
which  would  probably  make  bad  speakers  of  many,  who 
might  otherwise  have  proved  good  readers.  There  is  some- 
thing in  charging  one’s  memory  with  a long  chain  of  words 
and  syllables,  and  this  is  one  of  the  difficulties  I hinted  at, 
and  then  running  on,  as  it  were,  mechanically  in  the  same 
train,  the  preceding  word  associating  and  drawing  in  the  sub- 
sequent, that  seems  by  taking  off  a man’s  attention  from  the 
thought  to  the  expression,  to  render  him  insusceptible  of  the 
delicate  sensibility  as  to  the  thought,  which  is  the  true  spring 
of  rhetorical  pronunciation.  That  this  is  not  invariably  the 
effect  of  getting  by  heart,  the  success  of  some  actors  on  the 
stage  is  an  undeniable  proof.  But  the  comparative  facility, 
arising  from  the  much  greater  brevity  of  their  speeches,  and 
from  the  relief  and  emotion  that  is  given  to  the  player  by  the 
action  of  the  other  dialogists  in  the  scene,  makes  the  greatest 
difference  imaginable  in  the  two  cases.  A man,  through 
habit,  becomes  so  perfectly  master  of  a speech  of  thirty  or 
forty  lines,  which  will  not  take  him  three  minutes  to  repeat, 
that  he  hath  no  anxiety  about  recollecting  the  words;  his^ 
whole  attention  is  to  the  sentiment.  The  case  must  be  very 
different,  when  the  memory  is  charged  with  a discourse 
which  will  take  thirty  minutes  to  deliver. 

Besides,  it  must  be  observed,  there  is  a great  difference 
between  speaking  an  oration  and  repeating  it.  In  the  form- 
er case,  the  orator  may  by  premeditation  have  made  himself 
master  of  the  argument ; he  may  have  arranged  his  matter  in 
his  own  mind,  but  as  to  the  expression,  trusts  to  that  fluency 
33 


386 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


and  command  of  language  which  by  application  and  practice 
have  become  habitual  to  him.  It  is  impossible,  that  any 
speech  on  any  motion  in  the  house  of  commons,  except  the 
first  speech,  should  be  gotten  by  heart.  For  every  following 
one,  if  pertinent,  must  necessarily  have  a reference  to  what 
was  said  on  the  argument  before.  In  like  manner  it  is  only 
the  first  pleading  in  the  cause  at  the  bar,  which  can  have  the 
advantage  of  such  preparation.  Whether  those,  who  open 
the  cause  or  question,  always  avail  themselves  of  this  power, 
and  previously  commit  to  memory  every  sentence  they  utter, 
I know  not.  But  we  do  not  find,  that  these  speeches  have 
generally  a remarkable  superiority  in  point  of  elocution,  over 
those  which  follow,  as  it  is  certain,  they  can  have  no  superi- 
ority at  all  in  point  of  pronunciation.  Several  of  Cicero’s 
best  orations  were  on  the  defensive  side,  and  therefore  could 
not  have  been  composed  verbatim  before  they  were  spoken. 
And  the  most  celebrated  oration  of  Demosthenes,  that  which 
at  the  time  had  the  most  wonderful  effect  upon  his  auditory, 
and  raised  to  the  highest  pitch  the  reputation  of  the  speaker, 
the  oration  mQ\  arecpavov^  was  an  answer  to  ^ischines’s  ac- 
cusation ; and  such  an  answer  as  it  was  absolutely  impossible 
should  have  been,  either  in  words  or  method,  prepared  before 
hearing  his  adversary : So  close  is  the  respect  it  has,  not  on- 
ly to  the  sentiments,  but  to  the  very  expressions  that  had  been 
used  against  him.  And  the  two  parties  were  at  the  time 
such  rivals  and  enemies  as  to  exclude  the  most  distant  sus- 
picion of  concert.  It  deserves  our  notice,  that  instances  of 
all  the  faults  in  pronunciation  above  enumerated,  except  the 
last,  are  to  be  found  both  in  the  senate  and  at  the  bar ; par- 
ticularly the  two  extremes  of  violence  and  monotony.  And 
these  are  easily  accounted  for.  The  one  is  a common  con- 
sequence of  strong  passions,  where  there  is  neither  the  taste 
nor  the  judgment  that  is  necessary  for  managing  them.  The 
other  generally  prevails  where  there  is  a total  want  both  of 
taste  and  of  feeling.  It  is  remarkable,  that  the  only  other 
fault  mentioned,  the  canting  pronunciation,  is  hardly  ever 
found  but  in  the  pulpit.  Nay,  what  would  at  first  appear  in- 
credible, I have  known  ministers  whose  sing-song  manner  in 
preaching  was  a perfect  soporific  to  the  audience,  pronounce 
their  speeches  in  the  general  assembly  with  great  propriety 
and  energy.  The  only  account  I can  make  of  this  difference 
is,  that  in  the  two  former  cases,  in  the  senate  and  at  the  bar, 
the  speeches  are  almost  always  spoken.  Committing  the 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


337 


whole,  word  for  word,  to  memory,  is,  I believe,  very  rarely 
attempted.  Now  the  general  assembly  partakes  of  the  na- 
ture both  of  a senate  and  court  of  judicature.  Sermons,  on 
the  contrary,  are  more  generally  repeated.  They  are  very 
few  who  trust  to  a talent  of  speaking  extempore  in  the  pulpit. 
Now  when  once  the  attention,  as  was  hinted  already,  loses 
hold  of  the  thought,  and  is  wholly  occupied  in  tracing  the 
series  of  the  words,  the  speaker  insensibly,  to  relieve  himself 
from  the  difficulty  of  keeping  up  his  voice  at  the  same  stretch, 
falls  into  a kind  of  tune,  which,  without  any  regard  to  the 
sense  of  what  is  said,  returns  as  regularly,  as  if  it  were  played 
on  an  instrument.  One  thing  further  may  be  urged  in  favor 
of  reading,  and  it  is  of  some  consequence,  that  it  always  re- 
quires some  preparation.  A discourse  must  be  written  be- 
fore it  can  be  read.  When  a man  v/ho  does  not  read,  gets 
over,  through  custom,  all  apprehension  about  the  opinion  of 
his  hearers,  or  respect  for  their  judgment,  there  is  some  dan- 
ger, that  laziness  may  prompt  him  to  speak  without  any  pre- 
paration, and  consequently  to  become  careless  what  he  says. 
But  to  return,  the  sum  of  what  has  been  offered,  is  not  that 
reading  a discourse  is  universally  preferable  to  repeating  it. 
By  no  means.  But  only  that  if  the  latter  way  admits  of  high- 
er excellence,  the  former  is  more  attainable  and  less  hazard- 
ous. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  training  of  young  men,  who 
are  intended  for  public  speakers,  to  read  and  speak  properly 
and  gracefully,  is  so  much  and  so  universally  neglected  in  latter 
times.  The  ancients  both  of  Greece  and  of  Rome,  sensible  of 
the  importance  of  this  article  in  educating  their  youth  for 
the  forum  and  for  the  senate,  were  remarkably  attentive  to 
it ; and  it  must  be  owned  their  success  in  this  way  was  cor- 
respondent to  their  care.  For  however  much  we  moderns 
appear  to  have  surpassed  them  in  some,  and  equalled  them 
perhaps  in  all  other  arts,  our  inferiority  in  regard  to  eloquence 
will  hardly  bear  a dispute.  It  is  not  possible,  however,  that 
so  great  a defect  in  modern  education  should  be  supplied  by 
a few  cursory  directions,  which  is  all  that  your  leisure  and 
the  prosecution  of  the  other  and  still  more  important  branch- 
es of  my  plan  will  here  give  scope  for.  To  attain  a mastery 
in  the  art  of  speaking,  would  require  much  study  improved 
by  exercise  and  corrected  by  conversation.  But  though  we 
cannot  do  all  that  we  would,  let  us  not  for  this  think  our- 
selves excused  from  doing  what  we  can. 


388 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


The  first  thing  then  ] would  advise  the  young  preacher  at 
his  setting  out,  in  regard  to  the  management  of  his  voice,  is 
cautiously  to  avoid  beginning  on  too  high  a clef.  His  nat- 
ural tone  of  speaking  in  conversation  is  that  which  will  al- 
ways succeed  best  with  him,  in  which,  if  properly  managed, 
he  will  be  best  heard,  be  able  to  hold  out  longest,  and  have 
most  command  of  his  voice  in  pronouncing.  Let  it  be  ob- 
served, that  in  conversing  (according  as  the  company  is  large 
or  small)  we  can  speak  louder  or  softer,  without  altering  the 
tone.  Our  aim  therefore  ought  to  be,  to  articulate  the  words 
distinctly,  and  to  give  such  a forcible  emission  to  the  breath 
in  pronouncing,  as  makes  the  voice  reach  farther  without 
raising  it  to  a higher  key.  Every  man’s  voice  has  naturally 
a certain  compass,  above  which  it  cannot  rise,  and  below 
which  it  cannot  sink.  The  ordinary  tone,  on  which  we  con- 
verse, is  nearly  about  the  middle  of  that  compass.  When  we 
make  that,  therefore,  as  it  were,  the  key-note  of  our  dis- 
course, we  have  the  power  with  ease,  of  both  elevating  and 
depressing  the  voice,  in  uttering  particular  words,  just  as  the 
sense  requires,  that  they  be  uttered  emphatically  or  other- 
wise. When  we  recommend  the  ordinary  tone  of  the  voice 
in  conversation,  as  that  on  which  we  ought  in  public  to  attempt 
to  speak,  we  would  not  be  understood  to  recommend  an  in- 
sipid monotony  ; we  only  mean  to  signify,  that  this  should 
serve  as  the  foundation  note,  on  which  the  general  tenor  of 
the  discourse  should  run.  On  the  contrary,  it  being  one  of 
the  best  preservatives  against  that  egregious  fault  in  speaking, 
by  giving  the  voice  the  greatest  latitude  both  in  rising  and 
falling  with  facility,  is  one  reason  that  I so  earnestly  recom- 
mend it.  Every  body  must  be  sensible,  that  when  the  voice 
is  at  an  unnatural  stretch,  it  can  give  no  emphasis  to  any 
word  whatever  without  squeaking;  so  that  the  speaker,  for 
the  ease  of  his  own  lungs  is  forced  to  take  refuge,  either  in  a 
tiresome  monotony  or  a drowsy  cant.  Besides,  it  deserves  to 
be  remarked,  that  most  men  when  earnest  in  conversation  on 
an  affecting  subject,  naturally,  without  any  study,  give  their 
voice  the  proper  inflections  which  the  import  of  what  is  said 
requires.  When,  therefore,  we  speak  in  public,  if  we  our- 
selves enter  seriously  into  the  subject,  and  are  as  it  were  in- 
terested in  it,  we  shall,  without  any  effort,  being  taught  by 
nature  and  assisted  by  habit,  give  such  an  emphasis  to  the 
words  which  require  it,  and  such  cadence  to  the  sentences, 
as  in  conversing  on  serious  and  moving  subjects  we  never 


LECTURES  ON  TULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


389 


fail  to  employ.  Whereas,  if  we  speak  on  a forced  key,  we 
cannot  have  the  same  assistance  either  from  nature  or  habit. 

A second  direction  I would  give,  is  to  be  very  careful  in 
proceeding  in  your  discourse,  to  preserve  in  the  general 
^ tenor  of  it  the  same  key  on  which  you  began.  Many,  who 
begin  right,  insensibly  raise  their  voice  as  they  advance,  till 
at  last  they  come  to  speak  in  a tone  that  is  very  painful  to 
themselves,  and  by  necessary  consequence,  grating  to  their 
hearers.  It  will  require  much,  care,  attention,  and  even 
practice,  to  prevent  this  evil. 

It  will  not  a little  contribute  to  this  end,  that  you  diligently 
observe  the  following  direction,  the  third  I am  to  give  on  this 
subject,  which  is,  that  you  always  begin  by  speaking  very  de- 
v/  liberately  and  rather  slowly.  Even  a drawling  pronunciation, 
in  the  introduction  of  a discourse,  is  more  pardonable  than  a 
rapid  one.  Most  subjects  will  require  that  you  grow  some- 
what quicker  as  you  advance.  But  of  all  things  be  careful 
to  avoid  that  uniform  rapidity  of  utterance,  which  is  very  un- 
attractive, as  having  the  evident  marks  of  repeating  a lesson 
by  rote,  which  is  so  great  an  enemy  to  all  emphasis  and  dis- 
tinction in  pronouncing,  and  which,  besides,  even  to  the 
most  attentive  hearer,  throws  out  the  things  delivered  faster 
than  his  mind  is  able  to  receive  them.  The  fourth  and  last 
/direction  I shall  give,  is  what  was  hinted  already,  frequent 
practising  in  reading,  speaking,  and  repeating  before  one 
sensible  companion  at  the  least,  or  more  where  they  may  be 
had,  who  should  be  encouraged  to  offer  with  freedom  and 
candor  such  remarks  and  censures  as  have  occurred.  So 
much  for  the  general  rules  of  rhetorical  pronunciation  in 
preaching.  A great  deal  more  might  be  profitably  offered  ; 
but  where  such  a multiplicity  of  subjects  demands  our  atten- 
tion and  a share  of  our  time,  a great  deal  on  each  must  be 
left  to  your  own  application  and  diligence. 


33* 


390 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


LECTURE  V. 

DISCOURSES  DISTRIBUTED  INTO  VARIOUS  KINDS,  AS  ADDRES- 
SED TO  THE  UNDERSTANDING,  THE  IMAGINATION,  THE 
PASSIONS  AND  THE  WILL. 

I proceed  in  the  third  place,  to  inquire  into  the  various 
kinds  of  discourses,  which  the  Christian  eloquence  admits, 
and  the  rules  in  regard  to  composition,  that  ought  to  be  fol- 
lowed in  each. 

It  was  observed  in  a former  lecture  that  the  word  elo- 
quence, in  its  greatest  latitude,  denotes  that  art  or  talent  by 
which  the  discourse  is  adapted  to  its  end.  Now  all  the  le- 
gitimate ends  of  speaking,  whatever  be  the  subject,  you  will 
find,  if  you  attend  to  it,  are  reducible  to  these  four.  Every 
speech  hath,  or  ought  to  have,  for  its  professed  aim,  either  to 
enlighten  the  understanding,  to  please  the  imagination,  to 
move  the  passions,  or  to  influence  the  will. 

The  first  of  these  may  be  subdivided  into  two  others. 
When  a speaker  addresseth  himself  to  the  understanding,  he 
proposes  the  instruction  of  his  hearers,  and  that  either  by  ex- 
plaining some  doctrine  unknown  or  not  distinctly  compre- 
hended by  them,  or  by  proving  some  position  disbelieved  or 
doubted  by  them.  In  other  words,  he  proposeth  either  to  dis- 
pel ignorance  or  to  vanquish  error.  In  the  one,  his  aim  is 
their  information  ; in  the  other,  their  conviction.  Accord- 
ingly the  predominant  quality  of  the  former,  is  perspicuity  ; 
of  the  latter,  argument.  By  that  we  are  made  to  know  ; by 
this,  to  believe. 

The  name  of  address  to  the  imagination  may  seem  at  first, 
to  some  hearers,  to  convey  a notion  of  too  much  levity,  to  be 
a suitable  characteristic  of  anything  which  ought  to  come 
from  the  pulpit.  But  this  is  a mere  prejudice,  arising  from 
an  unfavorable  sense  that  is  sometimes  put  upon  the  word 
imagination,  as  opposed  to  truth  and  reality.  Whereas  with 
us,  it  only  means  that  faculty  of  the  mind,  whereby  it  is 
capable  of  conceiving  and  combining  things  together,  which 
in  that  combination  have  neither  been  perceived  by  the 
senses,  nor  are  remembered.  Now  in  that  acceptation  of  the 
word,  let  it  be  observed,  that  all  fables,  apologues,  parables, 
and  allegories,  are  addressed  to  the  imagination.  Poetry, 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


391 


for  the  most  part,  both  sacred  and  profane,  is  an  address  of 
this  sort;  in  likfe  manner  all  prophecy.  Indeed  in  the  Jewish 
idiom  poetry  and  prophecy  were  synonymous  terms.  Hence 
it  is,  that  the  apostle  Paul  speaking  of  the  Cretans,  does  not 
scruple  to  call  one  of  their  poets,  though  a Pagan,  a prophet 
of  their  own.  This  only  by  the  way,  in  order  to  remove  any 
dislike  or  unfavorable  prepossession  which  may  be  occasioned 
by  the  name. 

In  regard  to  preaching,  the  only  subject  with  which  we 
are  at  present  concerned,  the  imagination  is  addressed,  by 
exhibiting  to  it  a lively  and  beautiful  representation  of  a 
suitable  object.  As  in  this  exhibition  the  task  of  the  orator 
like  that  of  the  painter,  consisteth  in  imitation,  the  merit  of 
the  work  results  entirely  from  these  two  sources,  dignity  as 
well  in  the  subject  or  thing  imitated,  as  in  the  manner  of 
imitation,  and  resemblance  in  the  performance  or  picture. 
The  principal  scope  for  this  kind  of  address  is  in  narration 
and  description,  and  it  attains  the  summit  of  perfection  in 
what  is  called  the  sublime,  or  those  great  and  noble  images, 
which,  when  in  suitable  coloring  presented  to  the  mind,  do, 
as  it  were,  distend  the  imagination  and  delight  the  soul,  as 
with  something  superlatively  excellent.  But  it  is  evident, 
that  to  this  creative  faculty  the  fancy  frequently  lends  her  aid 
in  promoting  still  nobler  ends.  From  her  exuberant  stores, 
most  of  those  tropes  and  figures  are  derived,  which  have  such 
a marvellous  efficacy  in  rousing  the  passions,  and  by  some 
secret,  sudden  and  inexplicable  association,  awaking  all  the 
tenderest  emotions  of  the  heart.  In  that  case,  the  address  of 
the  orator  is  intended  not  ultimately,  to  astonish  by  the  lofti- 
ness of  the  images,  or  to  charm  by  the  beauteous  resemblance 
which  the  painting  bears  to  nature,  nay,  it  will  not  permit 
the  hearers  even  a moment’s  leisure  for  making  the  com- 
parison, but  as  by  some  magical  spell,  hurries  them,  before 
they  are  aware,  into  love,  pity,  grief,  terror,  aversion  or  de- 
sire. It  therefore  assumes  the  denomination  of  pathetic, 
which  is  the  characteristic  of  the  third  species  of  discourses,  , 
tint  are  addressed  to  the  passions. 

The  fourth  and  last  kind,  the  most  complex  of  all,  which 
is  calculated  to  influence  the  will,  and  persuade  to  action, 
as  it  is  in  reality  an  artful  nrixture  of  that  which  proposeth  to 
convince  the  judgment,  and  that  which  interests  the  passions, 
its  distinguishing  excellency  results  from  these  two,  the  ar- 
gumentative and  the  pathetic  incorporated  together.  These 


392 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


acting  with  united  force,  constitute  that  vehemence,  that 
warm  eviction,  that  earnest  and  affecting  contention,  which 
is  admirably  fitted  for  persuasion,  and  hath  always  been  re- 
garded as  the  supreme  qualification  in  an  orator.  Of  the 
four  sorts  of  discourses  now  enumerated,  it  may  be  observed 
in  general,  that  each  preceding  species,  in  the  order  above 
exhibited,  is  preparatory  to  the  subsequent,  that  each  subse- 
quent species  is  founded  on  the  preceding,  and  that  thus 
they  ascend  in  a regular  progression.  Knowledge,  the  object 
of  the  understanding,  furnisheth  materials  for  the  fancy; 
the  fancy  culls,  compounds,  and  by  her  mimic  art  disposes 
these  materials  so  as  to  affect  the  passions ; the  passions  are 
the  natural  spurs  to  volition  or  action,  and  so  need  only  to 
be  rightly  directed.  So  much  in  general  for  the  different 
kinds  of  discourses  on  whatever  subject,  from  the  bare  con- 
sideration of  the  object  addressed,  understanding,  imagina- 
tion, passion,  will,  and  those  fundamental  principles  of  elo- 
quence in  the  largest  acceptation  which  result  from  these. 
But  as  the  kind  addressed  to  the  understanding  has  been 
subdivided  into  two,  that  which  barely  explains,  and  that 
which  proves^  I shall  henceforth  consider  them  as  five  in 
number. 

I come  now  to  apply  these  universal  principles  to  the  par- 
ticular subject,  with  which  we  are  immediately  concerned. 
It  hath  been  occasionally  observed,  oftener  than  once,  that 
the  reformation  of  mankind  is  the  great  and  ultimate  end  of 
the  whole  ministerial  function,  and  especially  of  this  particu- 
lar branch,  preaching  or  discoursing  from  the  pulpit.  But 
it  is  not  necessary,  that  the  ultimate  end  of  the  whole  should 
be  the  immediate  scope  of  every  part.  It  is  enough,  that  the 
immediate  scope  of  the  part  be  such,  that  the  attainment  of 
it  is  manifestly  a step  towards  the  ultimate  end  of  the  whole. 
In  other  words,  the  former  ought  always  to  serve  as  a means 
for  the  effecting  of  the  latter.  Let  us  proceed  in  consider- 
ing the  propriety  of  particular  and  immediate  ends  by  this 
rule. 


First  then,  in  order  to  effect  the  reformation  of  men,  that 
is,  in  order  to  bring  them  to  a right  disposition  and  practice, 
there  are  some  things  which  of  necessity  they  must  be  made 
to  know.  No  one  will  question,  that  the  knowledge  of  the 
nature  and  extent  of  the  duties  which  they  are  required  to 
practise,  and  of  the  truths  and  doctrines  which  serve  as  mo- 
tives to  practice,  is  absolutely  necessary.  The  explication 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


893 


of  these  in  tlie  pulpit  forms  a species  of  discourses  which 
falls  under  the  first  class  above  mentioned.  It  is  addressed 
to  the  understanding,  its  aim  is  information,  the  only  obstacle 
it  hath  to  remove  is  ignorance.  Sermons  .of  this  sort 
shall  henceforth  distinguish  by  the  term  explanatory.  Now 
if  knowledge  is  the  first  step  in  religion,  faith  is  certainly  the 
second,  for  the  knowledge  of  any  tenet  influenceth  our  con- 
duct only  so  far  as  it  is  believed.  My  knowledge  of  the  pe- 
culiar doctrines  maintained  by  Mahometans  nowise  affects 
my  practice.  Why?  Because  I do  not  believe  them. 
When  therefore  revelation  in  general,  or  any  of  its  funda- 
mental doctrines  in  particular,  are  known  to  be  called  in 
question,  by  a considerable  part  of  the  congregation,  it  is 
doubtless  incumbent  on  the  preacher  earnestly  to  contend 
for  the  faith  which  was  once  delivered  to  the  saints,  and  con- 
sequently it  must  be  a proper  subject  for  the  pulpit  to  defend 
the  cause  of  religion  by  refuting  the  cavils  of  gainsayers,  and 
publicly  evincing  the  truth.  Such  defence  and  confutation 
form  a species  of  discourses  which  falls  under  the  second 
class  above  mentioned.  It  is  addressed  to  the  understanding, 
its  aim  is  conviction;  the  adversaries  it  encounters  are  skep- 
ticism and  error.  Discourses  of  this  sort  we  shall  distin- 
guish by  the  name  controversial.  Both  the  above  sorts,  the 
explanatory  and  the  controversial,  as  they  coincide  in  the 
object  addressed,  the  understanding  of  the  hearers,  go  also 
under  the  common  name  of  instructive. 

Further,  as  one  way,  and  indeed  a very  powerful  way,  of 
recommending  religion  is  by  example,  it  must  be  conducive 
to  the  general  end  of  preaching  above  mentioned,  to  make  it 
sometimes  the  business  of  a sermon,  to  exhibit  properly  any 
known  good  character,  by  giving  a lively  narrative  of  the 
person’s  life,  or  of  any  signal  period  of  his  life,  or  of  any  par- 
ticular virtue,  as  illustrated  through  the  different  periods  of 
his  life.  For  performances  of  this  kind  the  history  of  ouf 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  affords  the  richest  fund  of  matter.  In  like 
manner  the  lives  of  the  saints  recorded  in  Scripture,  the 
prophets,  apostles  and  martyrs,  such  at  least  with  which  from 
the  accounts  given  in  holy  writ  we  have  occasion  to  be  ac- 
quainted, make  very  proper  subjects.  Add  to  these,  what 
are  called  funeral  sermons,  or  merited  encomiums  on  the 
life  and  actions  of  deceased  persons,  eminent  for  virtue  and 
piety,  whose  character  is  well  known  to  the  people  addressed. 
It  may  not  want  its  use,  on  the  contrary,  to  delineate  some- 


394  LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 

I times  in  proper  colors  the  conduct  of  the  vicious.  To  do 
justice  to  the  respectable  qualities  and  worthy  actions  of  a 
good  man  is  to  present  an  audience  with  an  amiable  and 
animated  pattern  of  Christian  excellence,  which  by  operat- 
ing on  their  admiration  and  their  love,  raiseth  in  their  mind 
a pious  emulation.  That  we  are,  without  attending  to  it,-  in- 
duced to  imitate  what  we  admire  and  love,  will  not  admit  a 
question.  Exhibitions  of  this  kind  from  the  pulpit  form  a 
species  of  discourses  which  falls  under  the  third  class  above 
mentioned.  They  are  addressed  to  the  imagination,  and 
their  scope  is  to  promote  virtue  by  insinuation ; the  view  of 
excellence  engages  love,  love  awakes  emulation,  and  that  as 
naturally  produces  imitation.  In  order  to  distinguish  such 
discourses,  we  shall  henceforth  denominate  them  commenda- 
r tory. 

Again,  when  an  audience  is  about  to  be  employed  in  any 
solemn  office  of  religion,  which,  that  it  may  prove  edifying 
to  those  eng^aged  in  it,  requires  in  them  a devout,  a recollect- 
ed and  a benevolent  disposition  of  soul,  it  will  doubtless  tend 
to  promote  the  general  end,  reformation,  to  make  it  the  im- 
mediate scope  of  the  sermon,  by  working  on  the  affections  of 
the  audience,  to  mould  them  into  a suitable  frame.  Ser- 
mons of  this  sort  fall  under  the  fourth  class  above  mentioned  ; 
they  are  addressed  to  the  passions,  and  their  scope  is  to 
beget  virtuous  and  devout  habits  by  conformation.  This 
species  of  discourse  we  call  pathetic.  It  deserves,  however, 
to  be  remarked,  that  the  pathos  excited  by  the  preacher, 
ought  ever  to  be  accompanied  with,  and  chastened  by,  piety, 
submission  and  charity.  At  the  same  time,  that  it  conveys 
both  light  and  heat  to  the  soul,  it  is  pure  and  inoffensive  ; like 
that  wherein  God  appeared  to  Moses  in  the  bush  which  burn- 
ed, but  was  not  consumed.  It  is  this  kind  of  pathos  in  its 
lowest  degree,  which  the  French  devotional  writers  have  dis- 
tinguished by  the  name  of  onction,  but  for  which  we  have 
not  a proper  term  in  English.  Mr.  Gibbon,  a late  celebrat- 
ed historian,  says  in  one  place,  after  Jortin,  that  what  the 
French  call  onction^  the  English  call  cant.  This  on  some 
occasions  may  be  true  ; but  it  is  not  the  constant  or  even  the 
general  meaning  of  the  word.  What  the  English  call  cant 
in  preaching,  is  no  other  than  a frequent  recurrence  to  cer- 
tain common  words  and  phrases,  with  which  the  people  are 
delighted  merely  through  habit,  but  which  convey  no  sound 
instruction  whatever.  That  termed  by  the  French, 


LECTURES  ON  PULTIT  ELOQUENCE. 


395 


is  such  a manner  in  the  speaker,  as  convinces  the  hearers 
that  he  is  much  in  earnest,  that  he  speaks  from  real  affec- 
tions to  them,  and  thereby  strongly  engages  their  attention. 
That  cant  with  ignorant  hearers  may  produce  an  effect  some- 
what similar,  is  not  to  be  denied.  But  the  result  upon  the 
whole  cannot  be  the  same.  Onction  is  an  excellent  vehicle 
for  instruction  ; but  where  no  instruction  is  conveyed,  the 
hearer  can  be  rendered  neither  wiser  nor  better  by  mere 
cant;  he  may  be  hereby  made  a greater  bigot  and  a greater 
fool.  The  two  last  kinds  of  discourses,  it  must  be  owned, 
are  near  a-kin  to  each  other,  and  very  apt  to  be  confounded. 
The  enemies  they  combat  are  indifference  and  listlessness. 
If  we  thought  it  necessary  to  observe  a scrupulous  exactness 
in  distinguishing,  we  should  rather  say  (for  the  words  are 
not  synonymous)  that  the  enemy  of  the  former  is  indifference, 
and  of  the  latter,  listlessness.  And  let  me  add,  these  often 
prove  more  dangerous  adversaries  to  religion,  than  others  of 
more  hostile  appearance  and  of  more  formidable  names. 

Finally,  it  will  not  be  questioned,  that  it  will  frequently  be 
proper  to  make  it  the  direct  design  of  a discourse  to  persuade 
to  a good,  or  to  dissuade  from  a bad  life  in  general,  or  to 
engage  to  the  performance  of  any  particular  duty,  or  to  an 
abstinence  from  any  particular  sin,  and  that  either  from  all 
the  arguments,  or  from  any  one  class  of  arguments  afforded 
by  the  light  of  nature,  or  by  revelation,  and  adapted  to  the 
purpose.  Discourses  of  this  sort  fall  under  the  fifth  and  last 
class  above  mentioned.  They  are  addressed  to  the  will  ; 
their  aim  is  persuasion.  The  enemies  they  combat,  are  ir- 
religion  and  vice.  Such  sermons  we  discriminate  by  the 
term  persuasive. 

Let  us  now,  for  further  illustration  of  the  subject,  consider 
whether  the  different  sorts  of  discourses  from  the  pulpit  above 
enumerated  bear  any  analogy  to  the  different  sorts  of  orations 
treated  of  by  ancient  rhetoricians.  These  both  Greek  and 
Romans,  after  Aristotle,  have  distributed  into  three  kinds, 
the  judiciary,  the  demonstrative  and  the  deliberative.  The 
judiciary,  is  the  name  by  which  the  Stagyrite  has  thought  fit 
to  distinguish  the  pleadings  of  advocates  or  counsellors, 
whether  in  accusation  of  an  adversary,  or  in  defence  of  a 
client.  As  in  all  such  pleadings,  and  indeed  in  all  litigation 
whatever,  there  is  something  affirmed  by  one  of  the  litigants, 
which  is  denied  by  the  other,  so  the  aim  of  each  is  to  con- 
vince the  bench,  that  his  representation  is  agreeable  to  truth, 


396 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


and  to  refute  the  arguments  of  his  antagonist.  The  point  in 
dispute  is  sometimes  a question  of  fact.  Did  the  defendent 
do,  or  not  do,  the  action,  with  which  he  is  charged  by  the 
plaintiff?  Sometimes  it  is  a question  of  right.  The  fact 
may  be  undeniable;  and  the  only  point  in  debate.  Was  it 
right,  wrong  or  indifferent?  lawful  or  criminal?  Some- 
times indeed  both  points  may  be  contended  by  the  parties. 
But  it  doth  not  belong  to  us,  to  enter  into  these  minutiae, 
or  consider  the  different  sources  of  topics,  whence  the  proof 
must  be  derived.  Only  from  what  hath  been  said,  it  is  mani- 
fest that  this  species,  from  its  very  nature,  is  perfectly  analo- 
gous to  the  second  class  of  sermons,  the  controversial.  It  is 
directed  to  the  understanding ; its  aim  is  conviction ; the 
adversaries  it  professeth  to  combat,  are  doubtfulness  and 
mistake.  The  demonstrative,  a name  given  to  those  panegy- 
rics or  funeral  orations,  which  were  sometimes  by  public 
authority  pronounced  in  honor  of  departed  patriots  and 
heroes,  must  from  the  design  of  insinuating  the  love  of  virtue 
by  exhibiting  such  examples  to  their  imitation,  so  exactly  and 
so  evidently  coincide  in  form  and  composition,  (however  dif- 
ferent in  regard  to  matter  or  subject,)  to  the  third  class  of  ser- 
mons above  mentioned,  the  commendatory,  that  I should 
think  it  unnecessary  to  attempt  any  further  illustration  of  it. 
Only  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  observe  here  by  the  way,  that  to 
this  political  expedient  among  the  ancient  Greeks  and  Ro- 
mans, of  paying  such  public  honors  to  their  great  men  de- 
parted, perhaps  more  than  to  any  other,  that  love  of  their 
country,  that  contempt  of  life,  and  that  thirst  of  military  glory, 
for  which  they  were  so  remarkable,  is  to  be  ascribed.  The 
term  deliberative  is  applied  to  speeches  in  the  senate  or  in 
the  assembly  of  the  people,  whose  express  aim  is  to  persuade 
the  audience  to  come  to  a certain  resolution,  in  regard  to 
their  conduct  as  a commonwealth  or  state,  such  as,  to  declare 
war,  or  to  make  peace,  to  enter  into  an  alliance,  or  the  con- 
trary. Discourses  of  this  sort  must  evidently  be  in  many 
respects  very  similar  to  the  fifth  and  last  class  of  sermons 
above  mentioned.  They  are  addressed  to  the  will,  their  aim 
is  persuasion.  The  enemies  they  combat  are  temerity,  im- 
prudence, and  other  such  vices,  considered  particularly  as 
political  evils,  as  prejudicial  to  the  interest  or  honor  of  the 
state.  Nay,  there  will  be  often  found  a pretty  considerable 
coincidence  in  the  topics,  from  which  the  arguments,  in  both 
these  kinds  of  persuasives,  are  commonly  drawn.  The  use- 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


397 


fill,  the  honorable,  the  equitable,  are  considerations  entirely 
well  adapted  to  each.  To  the  first  and  fourth  kinds  of  ser- 
mons mentioned,  there  is  not  found  anything  in  the  institutes^ 
of  rhetoricians  which  can  be  denominated  analogous.  The 
first,  the  explanatory,  is  indeed,  of  all  kinds  the  simplest,  and' 
may  in  respect  of  form  be  considered  as  bearing  a resem- 
blance to  the  lessons  delivered  in  the  schools  of  the  philoso- 
phers, in  regard  to  which,  no  person,  as  far  as  I know,  has 
thought  it  necessary  to  lay  down  rules.  The  fourth  kind, 
the  pathetic,  hath  in  point  of  aim  more  similarity  to  the  elo- 
quence of  the  theatre,  tragedy  in  particular,  than  to  that 
either  of  the  bar  or  of  the  senate.  But  the  difference  in  form 
arising  from  the  nature  of  the  work,  between  all  dramatic 
compositions,  and  the  discourses  prepared  for  the  pulpit,  is 
so  extremely  great,  that  I have  not  judged  it  necessary  hither- 
to so  much  as  to  name  this  species  of  oratory. 

And  as  probably  I shall  not  have  occasion  in  these  prelec- 
tions to  mention  it  hereafter,  I shall  now  take  the  liberty 
to  give  you  briefly,  in  passing,  my  sentiments  concerning  the- 
atrical performances,  and  the  use  which  may  be  made  of 
them  by  the  Christian  orator.  As  to  the  drama  in  general, 
it  is  manifestly  no  more  than  a particular  form,  in  which  a 
tale  or  fable  is  exhibited ; and  if  the  tale  itself  be  moral  and 
instructive,  it  would  require  no  small  degree  of  fanaticism  to 
make  one  think,  that  its  being  digested  into  so  many  dia- 
logues, and  dressed  up  in  the  dramatic  form,  can  render  it 
immoral  and  pernicious.  So  much  for  the  question  of  right, 
as  I may  call  it.  If  from  this  we  proceed  to  a question  of 
fact,  to  which  the  other  very  naturally  gives  occasion,  and  in- 
quire, whether  the  greater  number  of  modern  plays,  be  such 
tales  as  we  can  really  denominate  moral  and  instructive,  or 
on  the  contrary,  such  as  have  a tendency  to  vitiate  the  prin- 
ciples and  debauch  the  practice  of  the  spectators ; to  this 
point,  I acknowledge,  it  is  more  difficult  to  give  a satisfacto- 
ry answer.  I own,  indeed,  that  in  my  judgment  the  far  great- 
er part  of  our  comedies,  I say  not  all,  merit  the  latter  char- 
acter, rather  than  the  former.  For  not  to  mention  the  gross 
indecencies  with  which  many  of  them  abound,  (and  to  the 
reproach  of  our  national  taste,  as  well  as  morals,  English 
comedy  perhaps  more  than  any  other,)  what  is  generally  the 
hero  of  the  piece,  but  a professed  rake  or  libertine,  who  is  a 
man  of  more  spirit,  forsooth,  than  to  be  checked  in  his  pur- 
suits by  the  restraints  of  religion,  the  dictates  of  conscience, 
34 


398 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


the  laws  of  society,  or,  (which  were  accounted  sacred  even 
among  pagans  and  barbarians,)  by  the  rights  of  hospitality 
and  of  private  friendship?  Such  a one,  the  poet,  in  order  to 
recommend  him  to  the  special  favor  of  the  audience,  adorns 
with  all  the  wit  and  humor  and  other  talents,  of  which  he 
himself  is  master,  and  always  crowns  with  success  in  the  end. 
Hence  it  is,  that  the  stage  with  us  may,  without  any  hyper- 
bole, be  defined,  the  school  of  gallantry  and  intrigue  ; in  oth- 
er words,  the  school  of  dissoluteness.  Here  the  youth  of 
both  sexes  may  learn  to  get  rid  of  that  troublesome  compan- 
ion Modesty,  intended  by  Providence  as  a guard  to  virtue, 
and  a check  against  licentiousness.  Here  vice  may  soon 
provide  herself  in  a proper  stock  of  effrontery  for  effectuating 
her  designs,  and  triumphing  over  innocence.  But  besides 
the  evil  that  too  commonly  results  from  the  nature  and  con- 
duct of  the  fable,  there  is  another,  in  the  tendency  to  dissi- 
pation and  idleness,  the  great  enemies  of  sobriety,  industry 
and  reflection,  which  theatrical  amusements  ordinarily  give 
to  the  younger  part  of  the  spectators.  On  the  other  hand, 
are  there  no  advantages  which  may  serve  as  a counterbal- 
ance to  these  evils?  There  are  some  advantages  ; it  would 
not  be  candid  to  dissemble  them,  but  they  can  be  no  coun- 
terbalance. What  is  just  pronunciation,  easy  motion,  and 
graceful  action,  compared  with  virtue?  Those  accomplish- 
ments are  merely  superficial,  an  external  polish ; this  is  internal 
and  essential.  But  at  the  same  time  that  we  acknowledge  that  the 
manner  and  pronunciation  of  the  orator  may  be  improved  by  that 
of  the  actor,  we  must  also  admit,  on  the  other  side,  that  by  the 
same  means  it  may  be  injured.  And  I have  known,  it,  in 
fact,  injured  in  consequence  of  too  servile  an  imitation  of  the 
stage.  I allow,  that  what  hath  been  advanced  regards  only 
the  modern  English  comedy,  for,  though  some  of  our  trage- 
dies are  also  exceptionable  in  point  of  morals,  yet  they  are 
comparatively  but  a few,  and  those  by  no  means  faulty  in  the 
same  way,  and  much  less  to  the  same  degree.  And  as  I 
would  with  equal  freedom  approve,  and  even  recommend 
what  T think  laudable  and  useful,  as  I would  censure  what  I 
think  blamable  and  hurtful,  I cannot  deny,  but  that  both  in 
regard  to  the  sentiments,  and  in  the  wonderful  talent  of  ope- 
rating on  the  passions,  the  tragic  poet  will  often  give  impor- 
tant lessons  to  the  preacher.  I would  be  far  then  from  dissuad- 
ing you  from  consulting  occasionally  whatever  may  contrib- 
ute to  your  improvement.  Our  great  apostle,  as  we  learn 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


399 


from  his  history  and  epistles,  did  not  scruple  to  read  the  dra- 
matic pieces  of  heathen  poets;  nay,  he  has  even  thought  fit 
sometimes  to  quote  their  sentiments  with  approbation,  and  to 
give  their  very  words  the  sanction  of  sacred  writ.  Where 
debates  arise  on  any  subject,  it  is  almost  invariably  the  case, 
that  both  sides  run  to  extremes,  alike  deserting  truth  and  mo- 
deration. It  is  the  part  of  a wise  man,  like  the  bee,  to  ex- 
tract from  everything  what  is  good  and  salutary,  and  to  guard 
whatever  is  of  a contrary  quality.  But  I am  aware,  that  the 
most  of  what  I have  said  on  this  subject  may  be  looked  on  as 
a digression,  I acknowledge,  it  in  a great  measure  is  so; 
but  as  the  mention  of  it  was  perfectly  apposite,  and  as  few 
topics  have  occasioned  warmer  disputes  among  Christians,  I 
did  not  think  it  suited  that  decorum  of  character,  which  I 
would  wish  always  to  preserve,  to  appear  artfully,  when  a 
fair  opportunity  offers,  to  avoid  telling  freely  my  opinion. 


LECTURE  VL 

ON  THE  COMPOSITION  OF  LECTURES. 

In  my  last  lecture  on  the  subject  of  pulpit  eloquence  I told 
you,  that  every  discourse  was  addressed  either  to  the  under- 
standing of  the  hearers,  to  their  imagination,  to  their  pas- 
sions or  to  their  will.  As  those  addressed  to  the  understand- 
ing may  be  intended  either  for  explaining  something  unknown 
to  them,  or  for  proving  something  disbelieved  or  doubted  by 
them,  sermons  in  the  largest  acceptation  of  the  word  may  be 
distributed  into  five  classes,  the  explanatory,  the  argumenta- 
tive or  controversial,  the  demonstrative  or  commendatory, 
the  pathetic  and  the  persuasive.  It  will  not  be  amiss  here, 
in  order  to  prevent  mistakes,  to  take  notice  of  the  particular 
import  which  I mean  to  give  to  some  terms,  as  often  as  I em- 
ploy them  on  this  subject.  The  first  I shall  mention  is  the  term 
demonstrative,  which  in  the  application  usual  with  rhetori- 
cians, hath  no  relation  to  the  sense  of  the  word  as  used  by 
mathematicians.  Here  it  hath  no  concern  with  proof  or  ar- 
gument of  any  kind,  but  relates  solely  to  the  strength  and 
distinctness  with  which  an  object  is  exhibited,  so  as  to  ren- 
der the  conceptions  of  the  imagination  almost  equal  in  vivac- 


400 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


ity  and  vigor  with  the  perceptions  of  sense.  This  is  entirely 
agreeable  to  the  use,  both  of  the  Latin  word  chmonstrativusy 
and  of  the  Greek  dTzodstxztxog  among  critics,  orators  and  po- 
ets. Another  difference  I beg  you  will  remark,  is  between 
conviction  and  persuasion,  which,  in  common  language,  are 
frequently  confounded.  To  speculative  truth,  the  term,  con-- 
viction,  only  with  its  conjugates,  ought  to  be  applied.  Thus 
we  say  properly,  I am  convinced  of  the  being  of  a God.  In 
popular  language,  we  should  sometimes  in  this  case  say  per^ 
suaded,  but  this  application  of  the  term  is  evidently  inaccu- 
rate. Thus  also,  he  hath  proved  the  truth  of  revelation  to 
my  full  conviction,  or,  I attempted  to  convince  him  of  his 
error.  And  even  in  regard  to  moral  truth,  when  no  more  is 
denoted  but  the  assent  of  the  understanding,  the  proper  term 
is  to  convince.  I am  convinced  it  is  my  duty,  yet  I cannot 
prevail  on  myself  to  do  it.  This  is  well  illustrated  by  that  of 
the  poet, 

Video  meliora  proboque, 

Deteriora  sequor. 

I am  convinced,  but  not  persuaded  ; my  understanding  is 
subdued,  but  not  my  will ; the  first  term  always  and  solely 
relates  to  opinion,  the  second  to  practice.  The  operation  of 
conviction  is  merely  on  the  understanding;  that  of  persua- 
sion is  on  the  will  and  resolution.  Indeed  the  Latin  word 
persuadeo  is  susceptible  of  precisely  the  same  ambiguity  with 
the  English.  It  is  this  double  meaning  which  gave  occasion 
to  that  play  upon  the  word  used  by  Augustine,  when  he  said, 
“ Non  persuadebis,  etiamsi  persuaseris.”  The  import  of 
which  in  plain  English  manifestly  is.  Though  your  arguments 
may  convince  my  reason,  they  shall  not  determine  my  reso- 
lution; or,  you  may  convince,  but  shall  not  persuade  me. 
The  first  of  the  distinctions  now  mentioned  will  serve  to  dis- 
criminate the  argumentative  or  controversial,  from  the  de- 
monstrative or  commendatory,  the  other  distinguishes  the 
controversial  from  the  persuasive. 

I would  further  observe,  that  though  any  one  discourse  ad- 
mits only  one  of  the  ends  above  enumerated  as  the  principal, 
nevertheless  in  the  progress  of  a discourse,  many  things  may 
be  advanced,  which  are  more  immediately  and  apparently  di- 
rected to  some  of  the  other  ends  of  speaking.  But  then  it 
ought  always  to  appear,  that  such  ends  are  introduced  as 
means,  and  rendered  conducive  to  that  which  is  the  primary 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


401 


intention.  Accordingly  the  propriety  of  these  secondary 
ends  will  always  be  inferred  from  their  subserviency  to  the 
principal  design.  For  example,  a sermon  of  the  first  or  sec- 
ond kind,  the  explanatory  or  the  controversial,  addressed  to 
the  understanding  and  calculated  to  illustrate  or  evince  some 
point  of  doctrine,  may  borrow  aid  from  the  imagination,  and 
admit  metaphor  and  comparison.  But  not  the  bolder  and 
more  striking  figures,  as  that  called  phantasia,  prosopopeia, 
and  the  like,  which  are  not  so  much  intended  to  throw  light 
on  a subject  as  to  excite  admiration ; much  less  will  it  admit 
an  address  to  the  passions,  which  never  fails  to  disturb  tjie 
operation  of  the  intellectual  faculty.  Either  of  these,  it  is 
obvious,  far  from  being  subservient  to  the  main  design,  sim- 
ple explanation  or  proof,  would  distract  the  attention  from  it. 
Such  arts,  however,  I cannot  call  them  legitimate,  have  some- 
times been  successfully  used ; but  in  such  cases,  if  impar- 
tially examined,  the  scope  of  the  speaker  will  be  found  to  have 
been  more  to  cloud  than  to  enlighten  the  understandings  of 
his  hearers,  and  to  deceive  rather  than  to  edify.  They  are 
of  those  unlucky  arts,  which  are  naturally  fitted  more  for 
serving  a bad  cause,  than  a good  one,  and  by  consequence, 
when  used  in  a good  cause,  rather  hurt  it  with  the  judicious, 
by  rendering  it  suspected. 

Now  before  1 proceed  to  consider  the  rules  which  ought 
to  be  observed  in  these  difierent  sorts  of  composition  result- 
ing from  their  respective  natures,  I shall  make  a few  remarks 
on  a kind  of  discourses  very  common  in  this  country,  which 
come  not  under  the  general  name  of  sermons,  and  follow 
rules  peculiar  to  themselves.  As  the  Bible  is  with  us  Pro- 
testants acknowledged  to  be  the  repository,  and  indeed  the 
only  original,  full  and  untainted  repository  of  Christian  know- 
ledge ; and  as  the  study  of  it  is  maintained  to  be  a duty  in- 
cumbent on  every  disciple  of  Christ,  that  kind  of  discourses 
with  us  commonly  called  lectures,  has  been  devised  as  means 
of  facilitating  to  the  people  the  profitable  reading  of  holy 
writ.  We  acknowledge,  indeed,  that  in  all  things  essential 
to  salvation.  Scripture  is  sufficiently  perspicuous  even  to  the 
vulgar ; and  that,  in  such  important  matters,  if  any  man  err, 
it  will  be  found  more  the  fault  of  the  heart  than  of  the  head. 
But  this  acknowledgment  is  nowise  inconsistent  with  the 
avowal,  that  there  are  in  this  repository  many  things  highly 
useful  and  instructive,  which  do  not  immediately  appear  upon 
the  surface,  which  require  more  time  and  application  to 
34* 


402 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


enable  us  to  discover,  and  in  which  in  particular  it  is  the 
province  of  the  pastor  to  lend  his  assistance  to  the  illiterate 
and  the  weak.  That  people  may  be  put  in  a capacity  of 
reading  with  judgment  and  without  difficulty,  those  parts  of 
Scripture  which  are  most  closely  connected  with  the  Chris- 
tian faith  and  practice,  lecturing,  or  as  it  is  called  in  some 
places  expounding,  hath  been  first  prescribed  by  our  church 
rulers.  The  end  or  design  of  a lecture,  therefore,  is  to  ex- 
plain the  train  of  reasoning  contained,  or  the  series  of  events  • 
related,  in  a certain  portion  of  the  sacred  text,  and  to  make 
suitable  observations  from  it,  in  regard  either  to  the  doc- 
trines, or  to  the  duties  of  our  religion.  As  all  discourses  of 
this  kind  consist  of  two  principal  parts,  the  explication,  and 
the  remarks  or  inferences,  so  they  may  be  distributed  into 
two  classes,  according  as  the  one  or  the  other  constitutes  the 
principal  object  of  the  expounder.  In  discourses  of  the  first^ 
class,  it  is  the  chief  design  of  the  speaker  to  explain  the  im- 
port of  a portion  of  Scripture,  which  may  not  be  perfectly 
clear  to  Christians  of  all  denominations.  In  the  second,  it 
is  his  great  scope  to  deduce  from  a passage,  whose  general 
or  literal  meaning  is  sufficiently  perspicuous,  useful  reflec- 
tions concerning  providence,  the  economy  of  grace,  or  the 
conduct  of  human  life.  Were  we  nicely  to  distingish  the 
two  kinds,  I should  say  that  the  ultimate  end  of  the  former  is 
to  teach  the  people  to  read  the  Scriptures  with  understanding, 
and  of  the  latter  to  accustom  them  to  read  them  with  reflec- 
tion. The  former  therefore  may  more  properly  (according 
to  the  current  import  of  the  words)  be  termed  an  exposition, 
and  the  latter  a lecture*  And  in  this  manner  we  shall  after- 
wards distinguish  them.  Both  are  properly  of  the  explana- 
tory kind,  though  from  the  complex  nature  of  the  subject, 
the  form  of  composition  will  be  very  different  from  that  of 
the  first  class  of  sermons  mentioned  above.  * Indeed  several 
English  sermons,  for  instance  those  on  the  compassionate 
Samaritan,  the  prodigal  son,  or  any  other  of  our  Lord’s  para- 
bles, may  strictly  be  denominated  lectures  in  the  sense  to 
which  we  just  now  appropriated  the  term.  And  of  this  sort 
also  are  several  of  the  homilies  of  the  ancient  fathers.  Nay 
there  are  some  discourses,  that  go  under  the  general  appella- 
tion of  sermons,  particularly  of  Bishop  Hoadley  and  Doctor 
Clarke,  that  properly  belong  to  that  class  we  distinguished 
by  the  name  exposition,  being  no  other  than  a sort  of  familiar 
commentary  on  some  of  the  most  difficult  passages  in  the 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


403 


epistolary  writings  of  the  apostle  Paul.  They  differ  from  us 
in  Scotland,  only  in  the  manner  in  which  the  explication  is 
introduced  from  the  pulpit.  We  take  the  whole  portion  of 
Scripture  for  a text ; they,  commonly  a single  verse  in  the 
end  of  it,  by  means  of  which  all  the  other  verses,  as  connect- 
ed, are  more  awkwardly  ushered  into  the  discourse;  for  as 
all  these  share  equally  in  the.  explication,  so  in  most  cases 
the  remarks  bear  no  more  relation  to  the  text,  than  to  any 
other  sentence  in  the  context.  The  relation  is  commonly  to 
the  whole  taken  together,  and  not  to  a part  considered  sepa- 
rately. That  it  may  not  be  necessary  to  return  afterwards  to 
the  consideration  of  these  two  classes  of  discourses,  which  I 
denominate  expositions  and  lectures,  I shall  now  make  a few 
observations  in  regard  to  their  composition,  and  so  dismiss 
this  article. 

And  first,  as  to  the  subject  to  be  chosen,  care  should  be 
taken,  that  as  much  as  possible  it  may  be  one,  that  is,  one 
distinct  passage  of  history,  (if  taken  from  any  of  the  histori- 
cal books  of  Scripture,)  one  parable,  one  similitude,  one  chain 
of  reasoning,  or  the  illustration  of  one  point  of  doctrine  or  of 
duty.  When  a minister  purposes  in  a course  of  teaching  to 
give  the  exposition  of  a whole  book  of  Scripture,  it  is  of  much 
greater  moment,  and  unspeakably  more  conducive  to  the  edi- 
fication of  the  hearers,  that  in  the  distribution  of  the  parts, 
more  regard  be  had  to  the  natural  connection,  that  may  sub- 
sist between  the  sentiments,  than  to  the  artificial  division  of 
the  words  into  chapters  and  verses.  For  it  is  manifest,  that 
in  making  this  distribution  of  the  sacred  books,  which  by  the 
way  is  an  invention  merely  human  and  not  very  ancient,  there 
hath  often  been  very  little  attention  given  to  the  sense.  You 
will  easily  conceive,  that  it  must  be  still  a greater  fault  in 
expounding,  to  confine  one’s  self  regularly,  as  some  do,  to  the 
same  or  nearly  the  same  number  of  verses.  . Nothing  can 
tend  more  effectually  to  injure  the  sense,  and  to  darken  (in- 
stead of  enlightening)  the  subject.  Nothing  would  less  fall 
under  the  description,  which  the  apostle  gives  of  the  manner 
of  the  workman  that  hath  no  reason  to  be  ashamed,  ‘‘  his 
rightly  dividing  the  word  of  truth.”  To  merit  this  praise, 
one  must,  like  a skilful  anatomist,  chiefly  attend,  in  the  divis- 
ion, to  the  distinctive  characters  and  limits,  which  nature 
hath  assigned  to  the  several  parts,  and  not,  like  a carver  for 
the  table,  merely  to  the  size  and  form. 

The  second  remark  I shall  make,  is  that  if  the  portion  of 


404 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE, 


Scripture  be,  as  to  the  sense,  not  so  independent  of  the 
words  immediately  preceding,  but  that  some  attention  to 
these  will  throw  light  upon  the  sacred  lesson,  the  preacher 
may  very  properly  introduce  himself  to  his  subject  by  point- 
ing out^in  a few  words  the  connection.  There  are  cases  in 
which  thfs  is  necessary ; there  are  some  in  which  we  should 
say  it  were  improper,  and  there  are  no  doubt  some  in  which 
it  is  discretionary.  Of  the  first  kind  are  many  passages  in 
Paul’s  epistles  ; for  though  perhaps  you  can  say  of  the  pas- 
sage with  strict  propriety,  it  is  one,  because  it  is  only  one 
topic  that  is  treated  in  it,  or  at  least  the  argument  is  consider- 
ed in  one  particular  point  of  view,  yet  it  makes,  as  it  were,  a 
member  of  a train  of  reasoning  which  runs  through  several 
chapters ; and  of  this  series  it  may  be  requisite  to  take  a 
cursory  review,  in  order  to  obtain  a more  distinct  apprehen- 
sion of  the  import  of  the  passage  read.  It  is  improper,  when 
there  is  no  connection  at  all  with  the  words  preceding,  as  in 
the  relation  given  us  of  several  of  the  miracles  performed  by 
our  Lord,  which  have  no  other  connection  in  the  history  than 
that  the  one  in  fact  preceded  the  other ; or  it  may  be  only, 
that  the  one  is  first  related,  and  the  other  immediately  after. 
The  same  may  be  said  of  several  of  the  parables.  Some  of 
these  indeed  have  a natural  connection  with  a preceding  pas- 
sage, having  been  pronounced  by  our  Lord  in  the  illustration 
of  some  point  which  he  had  been  just  inculcating.  In  such 
cases,  when  the  design  of  the  parable  is  sufficiently  clear  of 
itself,  to  trace  the  connection  is  not  absolutely  necessary.  As 
good  use,  however,  may  be  made  of  it,  it  cannot  be  called 
improper.  This  therefore  is  an  example  of  those  cases 
wherein  it  is  discretionjiry.  There  are  several  other  instan- 
ces which  the  intelligent  hearer  will  easily  distinguish  for 
himself.  I shall  mention  only  one.  Were  it  the  design  of  a 
preacher  to  expound  to  a congregation  the  Lord’s  prayer,  as 
recorded  in  the  sixth  chapter  of  Matthew,  he  may  justly  con- 
sider it  as  a matter  of  mere  choice,  whether  he  shall  take  any 
notice  of  the  words  preceding  or  of  the  subsequent,  because 
though  his  text  be  connected  with  both,  it  is  so  independently 
intelligible,  and  so  completely  one  in  itself,  that  he  is  under 
no  necessity  to  recur  to  these  for  the  illustration  of  his 
subject. 

My  third  observation  shall  be,  that  his  exposition  of  the 
portion  of  Scripture  read,  may  either  be,  verse  by  verse, 
paragraph  by  paragraph,  sentence  by  sentence,  where  there 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


405 


is  any  obscurity  or  difficulty  in  the  verse,  sentence  or  para- 
graph, that  seems  to  require  it;  or  it  may  be,  by  a kind  of 
paraphrase  of  tlie  whole  passage.  I have  observed  already 
that  there  are  two  kinds  of  discourses,  the  exposition  and  the 
lecture,  into  which  this  class  may  be  distributed  ; the  former 
of  these  methods,  by  verses  or  sentences,  is  best  suited  to  the 
first ; the  latter  by  paraphrase,  to  the  second.  In  the  first, 
there  are  supposed  some  difficulties  to  be  removed  and  some 
darkness  to  be  dispelled  ; in  order  to  this,  more  minuteness 
and  closer  attention  to  the  several  parts  is  necessary.  In  the 
second,  as  the  scope  of  the  whole  passage  is  supposed  to  be 
abundantly  perspicuous,  a few  pertinent  introductory  remarks 
may  sometimes  happily  enough  supersede  the  necessity  even 
of  a paraphrase. 

The  fourth  observation  shall  be  in  relation  to  the  difficul- 
ties, which,  in  the  first  species  of  lectures  mentioned,  the  ex- 
pounder must  endeavor  to  remove.  And  they  are  these — an 
apparent  inconsistency  between  the  import  of  any  verse  or 
expression  and  the  principles  of  right  reason,  or  a seeming 
contradiction  to  other  texts  of  Scripture,  or  to  any  known 
historical  fact;  in  like  manner  if  the  words  taken  literally 
seem  to  support  any  erroneous  opinion,  or  to  authorize  any 
improper  practice,  or  if  the  preacher  is  aware  that  it  consists 
with  the  knowledge  of  a considerable  part  of  his  audience, 
that  such  uses  are  made  of  the  words  by  some  sect  or  party 
still  subsisting  amongst  us.  I mention  these  things  wdth  the 
greater  caution,  because  if  the  difficulties  are  not  obvious  of 
thejnselves,  or  are  such  as  can  be  reasonably  thought  to  have 
come  to  the  knowledge  of  very  few,  if  any,  in  the  auditory, 
it  is  much  better  they  remain  unnoticed  by  the  speaker,  lest 
he  should  be  imagined  to  have  more  the  talent  of  suggesting 
scruples  and  raising  difficulties  than  of  removing  them.  And 
this  will  especially  hold,  in  regard  to  what  hath  at  any  time 
been  pleaded  in  favor  of  the  errors  of  ancient  or  distant  sects, 
of  which  the  congregation  knows  little  or  nothing,  and  by 
whose  arts  they  can  be  in  no  hazard  of  being  seduced.  If 
the  subjects  w^ere,  for  example,  the  parable  of  the  supper,  in 
the  I4th  chapter  of  Luke,  it  would  be  very  pertinent  to  show 
that  the  expression,  ‘‘  Compel  them  to  come  in,’’  which  oc- 
curs in  that  passage,  doth  not  authorize  persecution  or  force 
in  matters  of  religion ; because  it  is  notorious,  that  this 
absurd  use  hath  been  and  still  is  made  of  the  words.  But  if 
the  portion  of  Scripture  to  be  explained  were  the  first  chap- 


406  LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 

ter  of  the  gospel  by  John,  to  what  Christian  congregation 
would  it  answer  any  valuable  purpose,  to  make  them  ac- 
quainted with  the  ravings  of  the  Gnostics  and  their  wild  ex- 
travagances about  the  Eons  ? 

I shall  add,  that  particular  care  ought  to  be  taken  in  ex- 
pounding the  Scriptures  to  the  people,  not  to  appear  over- 
learned and  over-critical  in  one’s  explications.  There  is  no 
occasion  to  obtrude  on  an  audience,  as  some  do,  all  the  jarring 
interpretations  given  by  different  commentators,  of  which  it 
is  much  better  that  the  people  should  remain  ignorant,  than 
that  they  should  be  apprized.  For  this  knowledge  can  serve 
no  other  purpose,  than  to  distract  their  thoughts  and  perplex 
their  judgment.  Before  you  begin  to  build,  it  is  necessary  to 
remove  such  impediments,  as  lie  directly  in  your  way ; but 
you  could  not  account  him  other  than  a very  foolish  builder, 
who  should  first  collect  a deal  of  rubbish,  which  was  not  in 
his  way,  and  consequently  could  not  have  obstructed  his 
work,  that  he  might  have  the  pleasure  and  merit  of  removing 
it.  And  do  the  fantastic,  absurd  and  contradictory  glosses 
of  commentators  deserve  a better  name  than  rubbish  ? No, 
surely.  But  if  such  absurd  glosses  are  unknown  to  your 
congregation,  they  are  rubbish  which  lies  not  in  your  way. 
No  interpretation,  therefore,  or  gloss  should  ever  be  mention- 
ed in  order  to  be  refuted,  unless  it  be  such  as  the  words  them- 
selves, on  a superficial  view,  might  seem  to  countenance,  or 
such  as  is  generally  known  to  the  people  to  be  put  upon  them 
by  some  interpreters,  or  sects  of  Christians.  Where  a false 
gloss  cannot  be  reasonably  supposed  to  be  either  known  or 
thought  of  by  the  audience,  it  is  in  the  preacher  worse,  than 
being  idly  ostentatious  of  his  learning,  to  introduce  such  er- 
roneous gloss  or  comment.  And  as  to  an  excess  of  criticism 
in  this  exercise,  it  ought  also  doubtless  carefully  to  be  avoid- 
ed. We  must  always  remember  the  difference  between  a 
church  and  a college.  In  most  Christian  congregations 
there  are  very  few,  if  any,  linguists.  I do  not  say  that  in  our 
lectures  we  ought  never  to  mention  the  original,  or  recur  to 
it.  Justice  to  the  passage  we  explain  may  sometimes  require 
it.  Nor  is  it  necessary,  that  our  translators  should  be  deem- 
ed infallible  even  by  the  multitude.  It  is  enough  that  we 
consider  as  the  pure  dictates  of  the  Spirit  those  intimations 
with  which  the  prophets  and  apostles  were  inspired.  But 
then,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  neither  modest  nor  prudent  in 
the  preacher,  especially  if  a young  man,  to  be  at  every  turn 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


407 


censuring  the  translators,  and  pretending  to  mend  their  ver- 
sion. It  is  not  modest,  as  they,  over  whom  the  corrector  as- 
sumes a superiority,  are  allowed  on  all  hands  to  have  been 
men  of  eminent  talents  and  erudition.  And  it  is  not  prudent, 
as  this  practice  never  fails  to  produce  in  the  minds  of  the 
people  a want  of  confidence  in  their  Bible,  which  tends 
greatly  to  lessen  its  authority.  Therefore,  though  I am  by 
no  means  for  ascribing  infallibility  to  any  human  expositors, 
propriety  requires,  that  we  should  neither  too  often,  nor  too 
abruptly  tax  with  blundering,  before  such  a promiscuous  au- 
dience as  our  congregations  commonly  are,  men  of  so  re- 
spectable memory.  Manly  freedom  of  inquiry,  becoming  a 
Protestant,  becoming  a Briton,  tempered  with  that  decent 
reserve  which  suits  the  humble  Christian,  will  guard  the  ju- 
dicious against  both  extremes,  an  overweaning  conceit  of  his 
own  abilities,  and  an  implicit  faith  in  those  of  others.  And 
indeed  in  regard  to  everything,  which  may  be  introduced 
either  in  the  way  of  criticism  or  comment,  it  ought  ever  to 
be  remembered,  that  it  is  not  enough,  that  such  an  observa- 
tion is  just,  that  such  an  interpretation  hath  actually  been 
given,  or  that  such  an  opinion  hath  been  maintained ; the 
previous  inquiry,  which  the  preacher  ought  to  make  by  him- 
self is,  whether  it  be  of  any  consequence  to  the  people  to  be 
informed  of  the  observation,  comment  or  opinion.  This  inqui- 
ry impartially  made  will  prove  a check  against  the  immoder- 
ate indulgence  of  what  is  perhaps  the  natural  bent  of  his  own 
genius,  whether  it  be  to  critical  or  controversial  disquisition, 
and  which  it  is  not  always  easy  for  youth,  commonly  im- 
petuous and  opinionative,  duly  to  restrain.  If  on  other  oc- 
casions, more  especially  on  this,  the  apostolical  admonition 
ought  to  be  sacredly  observed,  that  nothing  proceed  out  of 
the  speaker’s  mouth,  but  that  which  is  good  to  the  use  of 
edifying,  that  it  may  minister  grace  to  the  hearers.”  But  for 
our  direction  in  this  kind  of  discernment,  no  precepts,  it  must 
be  acknowledged,  will  suffice.  A fund  of  good  sense  is  ab- 
solutely necessary,  enlightened  by  a knowledge  of  mankind. 
In  this,  as  in  every  other  kind  of  composition,  the  maxim  of 
the  poet  invariably  holds, 

Scribendi  recte  sapere  est  principium  et  fons. 

1 shall  just  add  the  fifth  and  last  observation  in  relation  to 
the  remarks  or  inferences.  These,  as  was  hinted  already,  in 
the  exposition,  whose  chief  aim  is  to  throw  light  on  the  sa- 


408 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


cred  text  and  remove  the  difficulties,  are  to  be  considered  as 
only  a subordinate  part  of  the  discourse  ; in  the  lecture,  they 
are  to  be  considered  as  the  principal.  In  the  former  there- 
fore they  do  not  require  to  be  so  fully  treated,  as  in  the  lat- 
ter. It  is  enough,  that  the  remarks  are  just  in  themselves, 
pertinent  in  regard  to  the  subject  of  discourse,  and  expressed 
with  sufficient  perspicuity  and  energy.  But  in  the  lecture, 
properly  so  called,  where  the  observations  are  the  primary 
object  of  the  speaker,  and  that  for  which  the  passage  of  Scrip- 
ture was  chosen  as  a text,  it  is  not  enough  that  they  be  just, 
pertinent  and  perspicuous ; they  require  besides,  to  be  more 
copiously  treated,  and  such  of  them  as  are  of  a practical  na- 
ture to  be  more  warmly  enforced.  Nay,  they  admit  all  that 
variety  in  respect  of  illustration,  proof  and  recommendation, 
which  are  to  be  found  in  discourses  explanatory,  controver- 
sial or  persuasive.  Only  for  the  sake  of  unity,  it  may  be  pro- 
per to  add,  that  all  the  remarks  compared  among  themselves 
should  be  congenial,  and  tend  to  illustrate  one  another,  that 
is,  all  doctrinal  or  all  practical ; and  whether  the  one  or  the 
other,  that  they  be  points  nearly  and  mutually  related,  that 
thus  the  discourse  may,  if  I may  so  express  myself,  be  of  one 
color  and  tenor  throughout.  Quick  transitions  from  the 
warmth  of  the  pathos  to  coldness  of  criticism,  from  the  mo- 
ral and  persuasive  to  the  abstract  and  argumentative,  or  in- 
versely, from  the  critical  to  the  pathetic  and  from  the  abstract 
to  the  persuasive,  are  neither  natural  nor  easy.  Now  the 
transitions  here,  if  there  be  any,  must  be  quick,  even  imme- 
diate, since  they  result  from  the  different  natures  of  the  re- 
marks that  immediately  succeed  one  another.  In  the  first 
kind,  which  we  distinguished  by  the  name  exposition,  there 
is  no  occasion  for  so*much  delicacy  in  regard  to  the  infer- 
ences deduced  ; because  in  it,  they  being  only  of  a seconda- 
ry nature  in  respect  to  the  scope  of  the  performance,  partic- 
ular discussions  would  neither  be  proper  nor  expected.  All 
that  is  requisite  is,  that  they  be  true,  fairly  deduced  and  pro- 
perly expressed.  Now  thus  much,  whatever  be  the  nature  of 
the  truths  remarked,  can  make  no  alteration  in  the  character 
of  the  performance.  In  this  species,  the  observations  are 
properly  no  more  than  inferences,  whose  evidence,  illustra- 
tion or  enforcement,  should  always  be  found  in  the  exposi- 
tion that  preceded  them  ; whereas  in  the  lecture  properly  so 
called,  though  the  connection  of  the  remarks  with  the  portion 
of  Scripture  previously  and  briefly  explained,  ought  to  be  very 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


400 


clear,  they  are  introduced  with  express  view  of  being  sup- 
ported, illustrated  or  enforced  in  the  body  of  the  discourse, 
to  which  the  explication  of  the  text  serves  only  as  an  intro- 
duction. So  much  shall  serve  for  what  we  call  expositions 
or  lectures ; I shall  next  proceed  to  the  different  sorts  of  ser- 
mons above  defined. 


LECTURE  VIL 

OF  EXPLANATORY  SERMONS THE  CHOICE  OF  A SUBJECT  ANB 

OF  TEXTS. 

In  my  last  prelection  on  the  subject  of  pulpit  eloquence, 
after  enumerating  the  different  sorts  of  discourses,  from  the 
consideration  of  the  faculty  addressed,  I entered  particularly 
into  the  examination  of  those,  which  with  us  are  commonly 
called  lectures,  and  which  we  divided  into  two  sorts,  one, 
whose  principal  end  was  to  remove  difficulties  in  a passage 
not  perfectly  clear ; the  other  whose  aim  was  to  form  and 
enforce  useful  observations  from  a passage  naturally  fitted  to 
give  scope  for  reflection.  The  first,  we  called  exposition ; 
the  second,  lecture.  I now  return  to  the  consideration  of 
those  discourses,  which  come  under  the  general  denomina-^ 
tion  of  sermons,  and  which  were  distributed  into  five  orders, 
the  explanatory,  the  controversial,  the  commendatory,  the 
pathetic  and  the  persuasive.  The  first  and  the  simplest  is 
the  explanatory,  which  may  be  defined  a sermon  addressed 
to  the  understanding  of  the  hearers,  and  of  which  the  direct 
view  is  to  explain  some  doctrine  of  our  religion,  or  the  nature 
and  extent  of  some  duty.  In  this  species  of  discourses,  the 
preacher’s  antagonist  (if  I may  so  express  myself)  is  igno- 
rance, which  it  is  his  business  to  dispel. 

The  first  thing,  that  falls  under  consideration,  is  the  choice 
of  a subject.  And  in  this,  care  ought  to  be  taken,  that  whe- 
ther it  be  more  or  less  extensive,  it  may  be  strictly  and  pro- 
perly one,  that  it  may  neither  be  imperfect,  and  consequently 
afford  the  audience  but  an  indistinct  apprehension  of  the 
matter  discussed,  whether  it  be  the  explication  of  a tenet,  or 
of  a precept  of  Christianity;  nor  redundant,  by  being  con- 
joined with  other  points  or  topics,  which  however  useful  in 
35 


410 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE, 


themselves,  are  neither  immediately  connected  with,  nor  ne- 
cessary to  the  elucidation  of  what  is  properly  the  subject 
The  rule  of  the  poet. 

Sit  quod  vis  simplex  duntaxat  et  unuin, 

will  be  found  a good  rule,  not  only  in  epic  and  dramatic  po- 
etry, but  in  every  kind  of  composition  without  exception 
The  reason  is,  it  is  founded  in  nature,  and  what  is  adapted 
to  the  faculties  of  a being  such  as  man.  When  things  are 
brought  together  into  a discourse,  between  which  there  is  no 
immediate  connection,  that  which  happens  to  be  last  said, 
goes  far  to  obliterate  out  of  the  minds  of  the  hearers  all  that 
went  before.  There  being  no  natural  and  manifest  relation 
between  the  things  themselves,  and  no  dependence  that  the 
one  has  on  the  other,  the  last  mentioned  thought  or  topic 
doth  as  it  were  exclude  its  predecessor,  by  entirely  occupy- 
ing its  place.  Whereas  in  clearing  up  the  several  parts  of 
one  entire  subject,  whatever  it  be,  the  explication  of  every 
other  branch  or  member,  as  you  advance,  necessarily  tends, 
by  the  laws  of  association  in  our  ideas,  to  recall  to  our  re- 
flections the  account  given  of  those  that  preceded,  with  which 
its  several  parts  are  naturally  and  intimately  connected. 
That  we  may  form  some  idea  of  the  influence  of  connection, 
simplicity  and  unity  upon  the  memory,  do  but  consider  the 
effect  in  point  of  remembrance,  for  it  is  of  this  only  I am  now 
speaking,  that  would  be  produced  upon  an  audience  by  one 
of  our  Lord^s  parables,  for  example,  or  by  a distinct  passage 
of  his  history,  or  of  that  of  the  apostles,  or  by  any  one  speech 
of  Peter  or  Paul  recorded  in  the  Acts,  and  compare  with  it 
the  effect  that  will  be  produced  by  reading  an  equal  portion 
of  the  book  of  Proverbs,  or  of  the  119th  Psalm,  in  neither  of 
which  was  there  any  connection  of  sentiments  proposed  : the 
greater  part  of  the  first  being  intended  merely  as  a collection 
of  wise  observations,  but  independent  one  of  another,  on  the 
conduct  of  life  ; and  the  other  as  a collection  of  pious  ejacula- 
tions, arranged,  not  by  affinity  in  the  sentiments,  but  by  the  let- 
ters in  the  Hebrew  alphabet  with  which  the  several  sentences 
begin.  But  what  is  necessary  to  constitute  this  unity  of  sub- 
ject and  design,  w^e  shall  have  occasion  more  particularly  to 
consider  afterwards. 

A subject  being  chosen,  the  next  thing  to  be  sought  is  the 
text.  This  seems  calculated  to  answer  a double  purpose.  In 
the  first  place,  it  serves  as  a motto  to  the  discourse,  notifying 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOUUENCE. 


4U 


to  the  congregation  the  aim  and  subject  of  the  preacher ; 
secondly,  being  taken  from  sacred  writ,  it  adds  a certain  dig- 
nity and  importance  to  the  subject,  showing  that  it  hath  a 
foundation  in  Scripture,  the  only  standard  of  our  religion.  It 
may  not  be  amiss  here  to  examine  a little,  some  objections, 
that  have  been  thrown  out  by  a celebrated  writer  of  the  pres- 
ent century,  in  his  Age  of  Louis  the  14th,  against  this  meth- 
od so  universally  practised  by  preachers  of  introducing  their 
subject  to  the  hearers  by  a text.  Perhaps,”  says  he,  ‘‘  it 
were  to  be  wished  that  in  banishing  from  the  pulpit  the  bad 
taste  which  dishonored  it,  this  custom  of  preaching  on  a text 
had  also  been  banished.  In  fact,  to  speak  long  on  a quota- 
tion of  a line  or  two,  to  labor  in  regulating  one’s  whole  dis- 
course by  that  line,  such  a toil  appears  an  amusement  scarce- 
ly becoming  the  dignity  of  the  ministry.  The  text  proves  a 
sort  of  device,  or  rather  riddle,  which  the  discourse  unravels. 
The  Greeks  and  the  Romans  never  knew  this  usage.  It  was 
in  the  decline  of  letters  that  it  began,  and  time  hath  conse- 
crated it.”  The  author  must  here  doubtless  be  understood 
to  mean  by  Greeks  and  Romans,  those  nations  whilst  in  a 
state  of  paganism,  for  that  this  practice  was  current  among 
the  Greek  and  the  Latin  fathers  of  the  church  appears  mani- 
festly from  such  of  their  works  as  are  yet  extant.  And  in- 
deed to  acquaint  us  gravely,  and  urge  it  as  an  argument, 
that  the  pagan  priests  never  preached  upon  a text,  must  ap- 
pear extraordinary  to  one  who  attends  to  this  small  circum- 
stance, that  they  never  preached  at  all,  that  there  was  noth- 
ing in  all  their  various  modes  of  superstition,  which  was  an- 
alogous to  what  is  called  preaching  among  Christians.  And 
even  if  there  had  been  anything  among  them  that  bore  an  an- 
alogy to  preaching,  their  example  could  not  have  had  the 
least  authority  with  us  in  this  particular,  as  it  is  notorious 
they  had  no  acknowledged  infallible  or  established  standard 
of  doctrine  corresponding  to  our  Bible,  whence  their  texts 
could  have  been  drawn.  But  if  our  author  alludes  in  this, 
not  to  the  customs  of  the  heathen  priests,  but  to  those  of  the 
demagogues  and  pleaders,  the  cases  are  so  exceedingly  dis- 
similar, that  hardly  can  any  comparison  with  propriety  be 
made  between  them,  or  any  inference  drawn,  from  the  usage 
of  the  one  to  what  is  proper  in  the  other.  If  indeed  we  make  the 
proper  allowances  for  the  disparity  in  the  cases,  the  example  of 
the  ancient  orators  will  be  found  rather  to  favor  than  to  dis- 
countenance the  practice  ; because  though  they  had  nothing 


412 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


which  could  in  strict  propriety  be  called  a text,  they  had  in  effect 
a subject  propounded,  to  which  they  were  bound  in  speaking 
to  confine  themselves.  Thus  in  judiciary  or  forensic  ha- 
ranges,  the  summons  or  indictment  was  to  all  intents  a text, 
and  in  the  deliberative  orations  pronounced  in  the  senate 
house  or  in  the  assembly  of  the  people,  the  overture  or  mo- 
tion which  gave  rise  to  the  debate  answered  precisely  the 
same  purpose.  At  least  one  of  the  designs  above-mentioned, 
which  the  text  with  us  is  calculated  to  answ^er,  namely,  a no- 
tification to  the  hearers,  and  a remembrancer  as  to  the  sub- 
ject of  discourse,  was  fully  accomplished,  and  as  to  the  other 
end,  the  difference  in  the  nature  of  the  thing  superseded  the 
use  of  it.  The  only  species  of  discourses  with  them,  in  which 
there  was  nothing  that  bore  the  least  analogy  to  this  so  uni- 
versal usage  among  Christian  teachers,  was  the  demonstra- 
tive, or  their  eulogiums  on  the  dead.  And  here  doubtless 
the  notoriety  of  the  occasion  and  purpose  of  their  meeting, 
which  was  commonly  at  funeral  solemnities,  rendered  any 
verbal  intimation  of  the  subject  less  necessary,  than  in  the 
two  others  already  taken  notice  of.  It  may  indeed  be  urged 
in  answer  to  what  hath  been  said,  that  the  preacher  himself 
may  intimate  his  subject  in  as  explicit  terms  as  he  pleases  be- 
fore he  begin.  But  to  this  I would  reply,  that  a bare  intima- 
tion is  not  enough  in  a matter  of  so  great  consequence,  that 
the  effect  of  the  whole  discourse  in  a great  measure  depends 
upon  the  attention  given  to  it.  Nothing  can  serve  better  to 
fix  their  attention  than  this  solemn  manner  of  ushering  in 
the  discourse,  by  reading  a passage  of  sacred  writ,  in  which 
every  person,  at  least  in  protestant  congregations,  may  satis- 
fy himself  by  recurring  to  the  passage  mentioned  in  his  own 
Bible;  at  the  same  time  nothing  can  serve  better  as  a moni- 
tor of  the  speaker’s  view,  if  the  text  hath  been  judiciously 
chosen,  and  the  sermon  be  apposite,  since  the  people  if  they 
please,  may  have  it  constantly  in  their  eye.  I acknowledge 
at  the  same  time  that  the  use  of  a text,  as  either  a device  or 
an  enigma,  is  justly  reprehensible,  and  that  the  conceited 
choice  that  hath  been  made  of  passages  of  holy  writ  for  this 
purpose,  and  the  strange  manner  w^herein  such  passages  have 
been  treated  in  the  sermon,  as  when  the  words  and  phrases 
are  more  properly  discoursed  on  than  the  sentiment,  have 
given  an  ample  scope  for  this  censure.  Only  it  ought  to  be 
remembered,  that  the  censure  strikes  solely  against  the 
abuse  of  this  method  of  notifying,  and  not  against  the  use  of  it. 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


413 


It  may  not  be  amiss  here  to  inquire  a little  by  the  way 
into  the  origin  of  this  practice.  That  there  is  no  trace  of  it 
in  the  ordinary  discourses  of  our  Lord  and  his  apostles  is 
freely  owned.  They  spoke  by  immediate  inspiration.  They 
gave,  by  the  miracles  they  wrought,  the  most  authentic  evi- 
dences of  the  authority,  with  which  they  were  endowed.  It 
did  not  suit  the  dignity  of  their  mission,  or  of  the  spirit  by 
which  they  spoke,  to  have  recourse  to  any  passage  as  giving 
a further  sanction  to  their  words,  or  as  setting  bounds  to  what 
they  should  declare.  Besides,  they  claimed  to  be  the  heralds 
of  a new  revelation  from  heaven,  which  though  founded  on 
the  old,  superadded  a great  deal  to  it.  After  their  time,  the 
doctrine  they  taught  having  been  committed  to  writing  in 
the  histories  of  our  Lord  and  his  apostles,  and  in  the  epistles 
occasionally  written  by  some  of  the  latter,  the  teachers  who 
succeeded  them  did  not  pretend  to  any  new  revelation,  but 
to  deliver  faithfully  that,  and  only  that,  which  they  had  re- 
ceived from  their  inspired  predecessors.  It  became  accord- 
ingly an  important  part  of  their  public  ministry  and  service, 
to  read  certain  portions  from  the  writings  now  styled  canoni- 
cal, as  being  the  great  rule  of  faith  and  practice  left  them  by 
these  founders  of  the  Christian  church.  The  usage  they  are 
said  to  have  borrowed  from  the  Jews,  who  since  their  return 
from  the  Babylonished  captivity  duly  read  in  their  syna- 
gogues, every  Sabbath,  portions  of  the  law  and  of  the  prophets. 
But  indeed  the  reason  of  the  thing  so  strongly  indicates  the 
propriety  of  the  practice,  that  there  is  no  need  of  recurring 
to  Jewish  example  for  its  origin.  When  there  was  any  dif- 
ficulty in  the  passage  of  Scripture  read,  this  gave  a natural 
occasion  to  the  minister,  who  was  the  teacher  of  the  congre- 
gation in  matters  of  religion,  to  endeavor  to  remove  it ; and 
even  where  there  was  no  difficulty,  the  words  would  often 
furnish  a handle  for  seasonable  exhortations  and  admonitions. 
Occasions  of  exhorting  the  people  in  this  way  were  some- 
times taken  from  the  weekly  lessons  in  the  law  or  in  the 
prophets  in  the  Jewish  synagogues,  as  appears  occasionally 
both  from  our  Lord’s  history  and  that  of  the  apostles.  See 
for  this  Luke  4:  16,  etc.  Acts  13:  14,  etc.  Accordingly  it 
appears  that  the  earliest  discourses  from  the  pulpit  were  very 
much  of  the  nature  of  our  expositions  and  lectures,  and  that 
the  subject  was  not  at  first  arbitrarily  chosen  by  the  speaker, 
but  such  as  came  in  course  of  reading  the  Scriptures.  It 
will  easily  be  conceived  how  in  process  of  time  the  pastors 
35* 


414 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


did  not  always  think  it  necessary  to  confine  themselves  to 
the  portion  of  reading  appointed  for  the  day,  especially,  as 
there  could  not  fail  to  arise  occasions  of  addressing  the 
people  either  for  warning,  consolation  or  admonition  in  any 
particular  emergency,  to  which  other  passages  of  sacred  writ 
would  be  more  directly  adapted.  It  may  also  be  supposed, 
that  sometimes  in  their  discourses  they  would  be  so  much 
engrossed  by  one  principal  point  they  then  wished  to  incul- 
cate, as  would  make  them  narrow  the  size  of  their  composi- 
tions, and  limit  themselves  in  using  no  more  from  the  sacred 
page,  than  was  entirely  apposite  to  their  subject.  A defer- 
ence however  to  antiquity,  a veneration  for  the  Scriptures, 
an  avowal  that  the  writings  of  the  prophets  and  apostles  were 
the  only  source  of  all  their  doctrine,  and  a desire  of  supply- 
ing the  people  with  what  might  serve  as  a remembrancer  of 
the  subject  of  discourse,  would  conspire  to  preserve  a custom, 
which,  though  not  absolutely  necessary,  must  be  allowed  at 
least  to  be  both  decent  and  convenient.  So  much  for  the 
origin  and  history  of  this  usage  in  Christian  congregations. 
A usage  which  in  my  opinion  ought  to  be  the  more  sacredly 
preserved,  as  it  may  be  justly  considered  as  an  ancient  and 
universal,  though  implicit  testimony,  that  no  doctrine  what- 
ever deserves  to  be  considered  as  a principle  of  Christianity, 
which  hath  not  its  foundation  in  holy  writ.  After  this  short 
digression,  I shall  now  inquire  what  things  they  are,  which 
particularly  demand  our  attention  in  the  choice  of  a text. 
And  on  this  topic  I shall  speak  the  more  largely,  as  what  is 
to  be  offered  on  it  will  not  regard  the  explanatory  dis- 
courses only,  but  all  the  different  sorts  of  sermons  above  de- 
fined. 

And  first,  doubtless  the  passage  chosen  for  this  purpose 
ought  to  be  plain  and  perspicuous.  Without  this  quality  of 
perspicuity,  neither  of  the  ends  of  introducing  in  this  manner 
the  subject  can  be  answered  by  it.  If  obscure,  and  hardly 
at  first  hearing  intelligible,  it  cannot  be  called  a notification 
of  the  subject ; as  little  can  it  give  the  sanction  of  holy  writ 
to  a subject  which  it  doth  not  notify.  One  may  err  against 
this  rule  in  more  w^ays  than  one.  First,  the  passage  may  in 
itself  be  obscure,  and  such  as  no  person  on  a single  reading, 
not  to  say  the  illiterate,  can  be  supposed  to  divine  the  sense 
of.  Such  is  a passage  from  Isaiah  21:  II,  12  on  which  I 
once  heard  a sermon.  “ He  calleth  to  me  out  of  Seir, 
Watchman,  what  of  the  night?  Watchman,  what  of  the 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


415 


night '?  The  watchman  said,  the  morning  cometh,  and  also 
the  night:  if  ye  will  inquire,  inquire  ye;  return,  come.” 
Who  could  pretend  to  say  from  such  a text  what  the  subject 
of  discourse  were?  But  there  are  some  people  of  that 
strange  turn  of  mind,  that  obscurity  itself  is  as  strong  a re- 
commendation to  them,  as  perspicuity  would  be  to  others. 
Not  that  they  are  influenced  in  this  by  the  sentiment  of  the 
poet, 

Non  fumum  ex  fulgore,  sed  ex  fumo  dare  lucem; 

for  commonly  there  is  to  the  full  as  little  light  in  the  perform- 
ance, as  is  discernible  to  an  ordinary  understanding  in  the 
text,  the  only  circumstance  perhaps  in  which  the  choice  can 
be  said  to  be  apposite.  The  real  motive  of  such  almost  in- 
variably is,  to  excite  in  the  ignorant  multitude  an  admiration 
of  their  profound  learning  and  most  amazing  penetration, 
who  can  discover  wonders,  where  other  people  can  perceive 
nothing  at  all.  Nor  do  they  in  this  particular  lose  their  aim. 
But  this  is  one  of  the  many  little  arts  of  attracting  the  vener- 
ation of  the  populace,  which  is  totally  unworthy,  I say  not  of 
the  Christian  pastor,  but  of  every  ingenuous  mind. 

But  further,  a passage  of  Scripture  considered  in  itself, 
and  its  connection,  may  be  perfectly  perspicuous,  and  yet,  as 
a text,  may  be  extremely  dark,  because  nothing  that  can  be 
called  a subject  of  discourse  is  suggested  by  it.  Thus  these 
words,  A bell  and  pomegranate,  and  a bell  and  a pome- 
granate,” Exod.  39:  26,  are  sufficiently  intelligible  in  Scrip- 
ture, as  expressing  certain  ornaments,  with  which  alternate- 
ly the  border  of  the  pontifical  ephod  was  to  be  decorated; 
but  there  is  not  one  of  a thousand  who  would  conjecture  what 
the  design  of  the  preacher  were,  who  should  read  these 
words  to  his  congregation  for  a text.  I have  heard  of  a de- 
cl  aimer,  one  of  those  (and  there  are  several  such)  that  will 
rather  take  the  most  inconvenient  road  in  the  world,  than 
keep  the  beaten  path,  who  chose  the  words  above  quoted,  as 
the  ground  of  a discourse  on  this  topic,  that  faith  and  holi- 
ness in  the  Christian  life  do  ever  accompany  each  other.  It 
would  not  be  easy  to  conceive  a more  extravagant  flight. 
But  where,  you  say,  is  the  connection  in  the  subject?  It  re- 
quires but  a small  share  of  fancy,  to  make  out  a figurative 
connection  anywhere.  Faith  cometh  by  hearing.  And 
could  one  desire  a better  reason  for  making  the  bell,  which 
is  sonorous,  an  emblem  of  faith?  Holiness  is  fruitful  in 


416 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


good  works.  How  can  it  then  be  better  represented  than  by 
a pomegranate  which  is  a very  pleasant  fruit  ? 1 am  not 

fond  of  conceits  in  any  serious  matter ; they  have  something 
so  trivial  and  playful  in  them  ; but  if  they  are  anywhere 
specially  unsuitable,  it  is  in  the  pulpit.  I remember  to  have 
seen  announced  in  the  news-papers  the  text  of  an  anniversa- 
ry sermon,  the  nature  of  the  occasion  I do  not  know.  The 
text  was,  Jud.  4:  20,  ‘‘  Thou  shall  say  no.”  Here  nothing 
can  be  clearer  than  the  expression  or  verse,  as  indeed  the 
whole  passage  is  to  which  it  belongs  ; yet  nothing  can  be 
darker,  than  the  text,  as  it  is  impossible  to  say  with  truth 
that  it  suggests  any  subject  of  discourse  whatever.  I will  add 
further,  that  though  the  text,  when  interpreted  agreeably  to 
the  meaning,  of  the  writer,  may  be  said  to  suggest  the  sub- 
ject, (which  cannot  be  said  of  any  of  those  above  quoted,) 
yet  when  it  is  so  figuratively  expressed,  as  that  the  import  of 
it  is  not  sufficiently  obvious  to  the  bulk  of  a congregation, 
some  more  explicit  proposition  ought  to  be  preferred.  This 
observation  is  not  to  be  understood  as  extending  to  those 
figures  which  are  so  current  in  Scripture,  and  now  so  gener- 
ally understood  by  Christians  of  all  denominations,  that  they 
cannot  be  said  to  hurt  the  plainness  of  the  passage  in  the 
least.  Of  this  kind  are  the  putting  of  a part  of  religion,  as 
the  love  of  God,  or  the  fear  of  God,  for  the  whole  ; ascribing 
passions  and  bodily  members  to  the  Deity ; personifying 
wisdom  and  the  like;  or  those  ordinary  metaphors  whereby 
a religious  life  is  represented  by  a race,  a journey  or  a fight. 
These  cannot  be  said  to  give  the  least  obstruction  in  reading, 
to  those  who  are  but  a very  little  acquainted  with  their  Bible. 
In  like  manner  in  the  choice  of  a text,  I should  think  it 
proper  to  avoid  passages  in  which  there  is  an  apparent  am- 
biguity. For  though  the  context  should  sufficiently  deter- 
mine the  sense,  yet  if  the  words  taken  separately  are  am- 
biguous, they  do  not  distinctly  answer  the  purpose  of  a notifi- 
cation of  the  speaker’s  aim.  So  much  shall  serve  for  the 
first  article,  perspicuity. 

The  next  point  to  be  attended  to  is,  that  they  be  pertinent. 
It  were  better  not  to  have  a text,  than  one  that  would  mis- 
lead the  hearers  as  to  the  subject  of  discourse  ; and  such 
would  be  the  case,  if  the  text  pointed  one  way  and  the  sermon 
another.  And  here  I cannot  help  observing  the  fantastical 
choice  that  hath  been  made  by  some  English  preachers,  who 
have  purposely  chosen  such  passages  as  seemingly  contra- 


LECTURES  Ox\  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


417 


diet  what  they  propose  as  the  scope  of  their  sermon.  Two 
very  eminent  rnen  in  that  church,  Doctor  Clarke  and  Bishop 
Iloadly,  in  their  controversial  or  argumentative  discourses 
frequently  adopt  this  method.  The  latter,  for  example,  to  a 
sermon  whose  chief  design  is  to  show  the  absurdity  of  the 
opinion  that  all  hope  of  pardon  is  cut  off  in  the  gospel  from 
Christians,  who  have  been  wilful  sinners,  hath  chosen  for 
his  text  Heb.  10:  26,  27,  “ If  we  sin  wilfully,  after  we  have 
received  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  there  remaineth  no 
more  sacrifice  for  sin  ; but  a certain  fearful  looking  for  of 
judgment,  and  fiery  indignation  which  shall  devour  the  ad- 
versaries.’’ And  to  another,  which  he  hath  titled,  the  mis- 
take of  relying  on  Faith  considered,  he  hath  prefixed  in  the 
same  way,  Eph.  2:  8,  “ By  grace  are  ye  saved  through  faith.” 
I do  not  here  enter  into  the  consideration  of  the  justness  of 
his  doctrine,  but  the  preposterousness  of  his  choice.  I know 
his  reason  was,  thus  to  take  an  occasion  of  explaining  a pas- 
sage, that  had  been  much  employed  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  controversy,  in  such  a way  as  to  show  that  though  it 
might  apparently,  it  did  not  really  (when  properly  under- 
stood) contradict  his  design.  But  this  plea,  unless  when 
such  explication  is  made  the  sole  end  of  the  discourse,  in 
which  case  it  falls  under  that  species  of  lecture  called  expo- 
sition, whereof  we  have  given  some  account  already,  other- 
wise, I say  this  plea  doth  by  no  means  vindicate  a choice 
subversive  of  all  the  purposes  which  a text  is  intended  to  an- 
swer. It  is  the  less  vindicable  as  it  is  perfectly  unnecessary. 
The  explication  of  a passage  apparently  opposing  the  doc- 
trine maintained  in  the  discourse,  it  would  be  much  more 
pertinent  to  introduce  and  obviate  in  answering  the  objec- 
tions and  arguments  of  the  antagonists.  There  appears  in 
both  these  authors,  and  in  others  misled  by  their  example,  a 
want  of  taste  in  this  particular,  however  great  their  talents  in 
other  respects  may  have  been. 

The  third  quality  in  a proper  text  is,  that  it  be  full ; that 
is,  that  it  be  expressive  not  of  a part,  but  of  the  whole  scope 
of  the  discourse  ; otherwise  it  imperfectly  answers  both  the 
ends  above  mentioned,  and  we  may  say,  with  justice,  that 
part  of  the  sermon  is  entirely  without  a text. 

The  fourth  and  last  quality  is,  that  it  be  simple,  nowise 
redundant,  or  expressive  of  more  than  the  single  scope  of  the 
sermon.  An  instance  of  a text  which  in  the  purport  of  it  is 
properly  complex,  is  that  above  quoted,  Eph.  2:  8,  “ By 


418 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


grace  are  ye  saved  tftrough  faith.’’  The  first  part,  ‘‘by 
grace  are  ye  saved,”  is  a full  and  perfect  text  for  the  discus* . 
sion  of  cyie  point  of  doctrine,  which  is  to  show  in  what  re- 
spect the  source  of  our  salvation  is  divine  grace.  The  other 
part,  “ ye'  are  saved  through  faith,”  is  equally  perfect  for  ^the 
explication  of  another  point,  which 'is  to  show,  in  what  re-* 
•sped  the  instrument  of  our  salvation  is  faith.  Let  it  be  ob- 
served here,  to  prevent  mistakes,  that  a senteYice  may  be 
grammatically  complex,  which  is  nevertheless  simple  in  re- 
gard to  the  sentiment  conveyed  by  it,  and  therefore  sufficientr 
ly  proper  for  a text.  Such  a one  is  that  in  Prov.  3:  17, 
“ Wisdom’s  ways  are  ways  of  pleasantness^  and  all  her  paths 
are  peace.”  And  even  that  last  quoted  from  the  Hebrews, 
though  consisting  of  two  long  verses,  is  perfectly  simple  in 
regard  to  the  sense. 

I shall  make  two  other  observations  on  the  subject  of  texts, 
and  so  conclude  this  article.  One  is,  that  as  a great  part  of 
holy  writ  is  historical,  whereift  things  are  simply  related  as 
spt)ken,  without  any  mark  of  approbation  or  blame  from  the 
sacred  historian ; we  ought,  when  we  can  be  otherwise  well 
supplied,  to  avoid  such  places,  since  passages  taken  thence, 
though  recorded  in  Scripture,  have  not  the  stamp  of  revela- 
tion, and  therefore  are  not  fitted  for  answering  the  second 
purpose  of  a text  above  mentioned.  I acknowledge,  how- 
ever, that  when  the  sentiment  in  itself  is  manifestly  agreeable 
to  the  dictates  of  natural  or  the  general  tenor  of  revealed  re- 
ligion, it  would  be  an  excess  of  scrupulousness  to  reject  it. 
Should  everything  (for*  example)  said  by  Job’s  three  friends 
be  avoided,  because  we  have  the  best  authority  to  affirm,  that 
in  some  things  they  did  not  speak  right?  Or  should  even 
all  that  Job  himself  said  be  set  aside,  because  he  acknowl- 
edged that  he  had  uttered  what  he  understood  not,  things 
too  wonderful  for  him  which  he  knew  not  ? In  all  such 
dubious  cases,  great  regard  is  to  be  had  to  the  character  of 
the  speaker,  the  occasion,  the  import  and  the  design  of  the 
speech.  On  all  these  accounts,  it  was  a most  absurd  choice 
which  one  made  of  a text  for  a sermon  on  the  future  glory  of 
the  saints  in  heaven.  This  sublime  doctrine  he  chose  to 
treat  from  these  words  of  the  serpent  to  our  first  mother  Eve, 
Gen.  3:  5,  “ Ye  shall  be  as  gods,  knowing  good  and  evil.” 
For  though  the  words  taken  abstractly  might  be  apposite 
enough,  we  know  that  as  they  stand  in  Scripture,  they  have 
no  relation  to  the  heavenly  happiness;  but  what  renders 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


419 


them  still  more  exceptionable,  as  a text,  is,  they  are  the  words 
of  the  father  of  lies,  and  in  the  sense  in  which  he  used  them, 
contain  a lie,  and  were  employed  but  too  successfully  for 
the  purpose  of  seduction.  The  only  other  observation  I 
mearf  to  make  is,  as  Scripture  does  not  consist  of  a number 
• of  Aphorisms,  it  will  sometimes  be  difficult,  if  not  impossible, 
to  find  texts  for  some  very  suitable  subjects,  conformable  to 
all  the  ruleSf  above,  Imd  down.  It  must  be  oWned,  that  in 
such  cases,  it  is  far  better  to  deviate  from  these  rules,  than 
to  avoid' discussing  an  edifying  and  pertinent  subject.  All 
that  can  be  said  in  that  case  is,  that  if  the  rules  be  reason- 
able, the  deviation  ought  to  be  as  little  as  possible.  Nor  let 
any  one  think  thik  point  a matter  of  little  or  no  moment.  As 
a good  choice  may  contribute  previously  to  rouse  attention, 
and  even  to  put  the  hearers  in  a proper  frame  for  the  subject 
to  be  discoursed  on,  as  well  as  to  keep  their  minds  in  the 
time  of  preaching  from  wandering  from  the  subject ; so,  on 
the  contrary,  an  improper  chuice  will  often  serve  to  dissipate 
the  thoughts,  and  put  the  mind  in  a frame  nowise  suita^e. 
1 can  say  for  myjself  that  I have  been  witness  to  instances  of 
both  effects.  I have  observed  sometimes,  that  the  bare  read- 
ing of  the  text  hath  served  to  compose  the  minds  of  the  audi- 
ence into  an  earnest  and  attentive  expectation  of  what  was  to 
be  said.  I have  seen  an  ill  adapted  text,  on  the  contrary, 
especially  when  there  was  anything  fantastic  in  the  choice, 
excite  a very  different  emotion  in  the  audience,  and  dispose 
their  minds  not  to  be  edified,  but  amused. 


LECTURE  YIII. 

OF  THE  EXPLANATORY  SERMONS THE  INTRODUCTION EX- 
POSITION OF  THE  TEXT PARTITION  OF  THE  SUBJECTo 

UNITY  A PRINCIPAL  REQUISITE  IN  THE  SUBJECT — rHOW 
THIS  IS  TO  BE  PRESERVED OFFENCES  AGAINST  UNITY. 

In  my  last  discourse  on  the  subject  of  Christian  eloquence, 
1 entered  on  the  consideration  of  that  species  of  sermons, 
which  we  distinguished  by  the  name  of  explanatory,  whose 
principal  intention  is,  agreeably  to  the  name,  to  explain  the 
import  of  any  doctrine  or  the  extent  of  any  precept  of  our  re- 
ligion. And  first,  I took  occasion  to  inquire  into  the  origin 


420  LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 

and  history  of  that  method  now  so  universal  in  Christendom, 
of  introducing  our  subject  to  the  audience,  by  a portion  of 
sacred  writ,  called  a text.  I inquired  into  the  principal  uses 
which  a text  is  intended  to  answer,  and  from  this  was  natur- 
ally led  to  deduce  the  rules,  whereby  we  ought  to  be  directed 
in  the  choice.  On  this  topic  I was  the  more  particular,  as 
the  same  observations,  though  introduced  merely  in  the  ex- 
amination of  one  species  of  discourses,  would  hold  equally 
with  regard  to  them  all.  I shall  now  proceed  to  consider  the 
other  parts  of  the  explanatory  sermon. 

The  first  thing  here,  that  falls  under  review,  is  the  exordi- 
um or  introduction,  the  great  design  of  which  is  (agreeably 
to  the  rules  of  rhetoricians)  to  a*waken  and  fix  the  attention 
of  the  audience.  Nothing  can  be  more  obvious,  than  that  if 
the  hearers  will  not  attend,  the  preacher  addresses  them  to  no 
purpose,  his  speaking  is  no  better  than  beating  the  air. 
The  first  requisite,  therefore,  on  their  part,  is  some  expecta- 
tion and  consequent  desire.  This  is  absolutely  necessary  to 
render  them  attentive.  A certain  degree  of  curiosity  is  nat- 
ural in  an  auditory,  just  at  the  moment  that  a speaker  is 
ready  to  open  his  mouth.  But  then  it  will  depend  very  much 
on  him,  either  to  work  up  this  favorable  inclination  in  people 
into  a devout  and  even  anxious  attention,  or  to  extinguish  it 
altogether,  and  not  only  to  extinguish  it,  but  even  to  create 
in  them  the  contrary  dispositions  of  weariness  and  disgust. 
Such  topics,  therefore,  as  manifestly  tend  to  conciliate  a fa- 
vorable hearing  from  the  congregation,  as  rouse  in  them  the 
hope  of  something  momentous  or  interesting,  are  especially 
adapted  to  the  introductory  part  of  the  discourse.  No  doubt 
some  regard  must  be  had  to  this  end  through  the  whole  of 
the  performance.  But  it  is  the  direct  business  of  the  exor- 
dium, to  inspire  a disposition,  which  .the  other  parts  of  the 
sermon  ought  to  preserve  from  expiring.  And  as  to  the  man- 
ner, in  which  this  purpose  may  be  best  effected,  it  is  evident, 
that  the  preacher’s  topics  should  be  drawn  chiefly  or  solely 
from  that  which  is  to  be  the  subject  of  discourse.  The  church, 
in  this  respect  more  delicate  than  either  the  tribunal  or  the 
senate,  doth  not  so  easily  admit  the  urging  of  considerations 
merely  personal,  for  winning  the  affeclion  of  the  hearers. 
The  venerable  aged  senator  may  not  ungracefully  preface  his 
harangue  with  topics  taken  from  his  years,  experience  and 
public  services.  The  hearers,  conscious  of  the  truth,  will 
think  him  well  entitled  to  avail  himself  of  such  a plea;  and 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


421 


the  mention  of  these  particulars  will  serve  to  rouse  their  at- 
tention and  regard.  It  is  only  in  extraordinary  circumstan- 
ces, that  this  conduct  would  be  tolerable  in  the  preacher.  I 
do  not  say  it  never  would.  We  have  excellent  patterns  in 
this  way  in  the  prophet  Samuel,  and  in  the  apostle  Paul.  See 
1 Sam.  12:  1,  etc.  Acts  20:  18,  etc.  The  young  barrister 
will  sometimes,  just  in  opening,  plead  successfully  for  some 
indulgence  to  his  youth  and  inexperience.  An  apology  of 
this  kind,  if  gracefully  and  naturally  expressed,  will  be  as- 
cribed, not  to  want  of  merit,  but  to  modesty,  a quality  very- 
engaging  especially  in  youth.  The  same  plea  would  be  more 
hazardous  from  the  pulpit,  and  therefore  can  rarely,  if  ever, 
be  attempted  there.  Any  view  that  seems  ultimately  to  point 
to  self,  anything  that  may  be  considered  as  either  directly  or 
indirectly  courting  popular  applause,  will  be  stigmatized  as 
vanity,  a disposition  which  will  meet  with  no  quarter  in  a 
place  consecrated,  as  it  were,  to  the  purposes  of  humbling- 
the  pride  of  man,  and  advancing  the  honor  of  his  Maker. 
Passing  therefore  some  extraordinary  cases,  the  only  topics 
which  the  preacher  can  safely  make  use  of  in  the  introduc- 
tion, for  gaining  the  devout  attention  of  the  hearers,  ought  to 
be  drawn  from  the  nature  of  the  subject  to  be  discussed. 
And  these  are  various  in  different  subjects.  But  there  is  no 
subject,  with  which  our  religion  presents  us,  that  will  not  af- 
ford some  handle  by  which  it  may  be  recommended  to  the 
favorable  attention  of  the  hearers.  On  one  subject,  the  lead- 
ing principle  for  rousing  our  attention  will  be  its  sublimity, 
on  another  its  importance,  on  a third  perhaps  its  pleasant- 
ness, and  on  a fourth  its  novelty.  Do  not  mistake  me.  I by 
no  means  intend  to  insinuate,  that  any  tenet  or  precept  of  re- 
ligion can  be  strictly  called  new.  I only  mean,  that  when 
the  subject  of  discourse  rarely  receives  a discussion  from  the 
pulpit,  the  examination  of  it  may  be  considered  as  new  to  the 
congregation  ; they  not  having  the  same  opportunity  of  be- 
coming thoroughly  acquainted  with  it  as  with  some  other 
topics,  which,  if  more  momentous,  are  at  the  same  time  more 
trite.  Perhaps  the  subject  is  one  of  those,  against  which  we 
are  sure,  from  the  known  character  of  the  congregation,  there 
are  certain  prejudices.  A case  of  this  kind  requires  a pe- 
culiar delicacy.  A modest  attempt  to  remove  unfavorable 
prepossessions  is  in  such  a case  extremely  proper  in  the  entry. 
Butler’s  sermon  on  the  Love  of  God  affords  a very  suitable 
example  in  this  way.  It  deserves  also  to  be  remarked,  that  a 
36 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


preacher  ought  in  the  exordium  cautiously  to  shun  being  so 
particular  as  might  anticipate  what  should  be  advanced  after- 
wards ; that  he  ought  here  to  proceed  on  such  principles  as 
are  generally,  if  not  universally,  admitted ; such  as  approved 
maxims,  incontestible  observations ; otherwise  its  obscurity 
will  rather  avert  than  attract  the  attention  of  the  audience. 
And  if  in  order  to  prevent  this  obscurity,  one  should  fall  into 
a train  of  reasoning,  or  be  at  particular  pains  to  explain  and 
illustrate  the  principles  advanced,  it  is  manifest  this  conduct 
would  convert  into  a real  discourse,  what  ought  to  be  no  more 
than  a prelude  ; it  would  extend  the  introduction  to  an  un- 
due length,  and  so  far  from  answering  the  design  of  prepar- 
ing the  hearers  to  receive  with  attention  the  discussion  of  the 
subject,  it  would  tend  to  make  them  lose  sight  of  it  altogether, 
by  engaging  them  deeply  in  different,  though  related  ques- 
tions. In  regard  to  the  language  of  the  introduction,  it  ought 
to  be,  in  a particular  manner,  perspicuous  and  distinct. 
There  is  rarely  scope  in  the  introductory  part  of  any  kind  of 
sermons,  and  much  less  in  that  of  an  explanatory  sermon,  for 
rhetorical  tropes  and  figures.  But  as  the  expression  should 
be  plain  and  clear,  the  sentiments  ought  to  be  striking  and 
almost  self-evident. 

The  next  part  that  requires  to  be  considered,  after  the 
exordium,  is  the  exposition  of  the  text.  And  here  it  ought 
to  be  observed,  that  no  more  of  the  context  should  come  un- 
der the  notice  of  the  preacher,  than  what  may  serve  to  cor- 
roborate or  illustrate  the  thoughts  advanced  in  the  introduc- 
tion, or  what  may  be  of  use  for  throwing  light  upon  the  text. 
It  is  often  necessary  to  take  for  texts,  passages  wherein  the 
thing  spoken  of,  or  what  is  closely  connected  with  it,  is  ex- 
pressed by  a relative  pronoun,  in  which  there  is  a reference 
to  what  immediately  preceded.  The  text  in  such  cases  is 
not  intelligible  but  as  it  stands  in  connection  with  the  fore- 
going words.  Such  a text,  for  example,  would  be  that  in 
Psalm  19:  11,  ‘‘  In  keeping  of  them  there  is  great  reward,’^ 
wdiere  it  is  only  from  the  context  you  can  learn  the  im- 
port of  the  pronoun  l/icm.  The  same  may  be  said  of  thepos- 
.sessive  /iis  in  the  following  passage,  which  may  be  used  as  a 
text,  1 John  5:  3,  “ His  commandments  are  not  grievous.^^ 
But  when  the  text  itself  is  sufficiently  perspicuous,  and  how^- 
ever  closely  connected,  independently  intelligible,  and  when 
the  sentiments  of  the  context  do  not  happen  to  have  any  co- 
incidence with  those  employed  by  the  preacher  for  introduc- 


LECTURES  ON  PULUIT  ELOQUENCE. 


423 


ing  his  subject,  it  is  by  no  means  necessary  to  lake  any  no- 
tice of  the  context  at  all.  Nay,  it  often  proves  in  fact  rather 
a digression  ftom  the  subject,  than  a constituent  part  of  the 
discourse.  Immemorial  custom,  I acknowledge,  hath  with 
us  given  a kind  of  sanction  to  this  practice,  as  to  many  other 
improper  ones ; but  it  belongs  to  judgment  and  taste,  to  dis- 
tinguish those  cases  wherein  it  is  useful,  and  those  wherein  it 
is  foreign  to  the  purpose.  And  that  is  always  to  be  held  for- 
eign, which,  however  just  and  even  profitable  abstractly  con- 
sidered, nowise  contributes  to  promote  that  which  is  the  ulti- 
mate aim  of  the  discourse.  When  the  text,  as  in  the  two 
passages  last  mentioned,  has  a reference  to  the  context,  but 
at  the  same  time  there  is  nothing  in  the  context,  which  is  not 
as  to  its  meaning  perfectly  obvious  to  an  ordinary  capacity,  it 
will  suffice  barely  to  repeat  such  of  the  preceding  verses  as 
have  the  most  immediate  connection  with  the  text.  Some- 
times indeed  it  will  do  better  to  give  an  abstract  of  the  story 
or  of  the  reasoning,  of  which  the  text  is  a part,  and  that, 
without  particularizing  any  of  the  passages.  But  in  the  elec- 
tion to  be  made  out  of  these  different  methods,  it  behoveth  us 
of  necessity  to  leave  the  preacher  to  the  guidance  of  his  own 
judgment.  The  choice  depends  on  such  a variety  of  minute 
circumstances  as  renders  it  insusceptible  of  rules.  The  text 
itself,  if  necessary,  may  be  explained,  either  by  a paraphrase 
or  otherwise.  If  by  a paraphrase,  it  should  be  simple  and 
brief,  and  no  more  in  effect  than  a mere  explicit  declaration 
of  the  subject  of  discourse.  If  a looser  method  of  expound- 
ing the  passage  is  preferred,  this  exposition  ought  to  terminate 
in  a sentence,  distinctly  proposing  the  doctrine  or  duty  to  be 
explained. 

The  next  thing  that  comes  to  be  consi<iered  is  the  partition, 
or  as  it  is  more  commonly  termed,  the  division  of  the  subject 
into  its  couvstituent  branches.  And  here  doubtless  the  logical 
rules  ought  to  be  inviolably  observed.  The  partition  ought 
to  exhaust  the  subject,  insomuch  that  no  part  be  left  uncom- 
prehended, and  it  ought  to  extend  no  farther,  so  as  to  com- 
prehend anything  else.  And  as  far  as  is  possible  in  a con- 
sistency with  these,  a natural  simplicity  ought  to  be  studied 
in  this  part  in  particular.  Nothing  harasses  the  memory  of 
the  hearers,  more  than  a multiplicity  of,  what  is  called,  the 
heads  or  chief  topics  of  discourse.  As  where  there  is  any 
partition  of  the  subject  they  cannot  be  fewer  than  two,  they 
never  ought  to  exceed  four  or  five.  These  for  the  most  part 


424 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


ought  in  explanatory  discourses,  which  are  directed  solely  to 
the  understanding,  and  which  should  preserve  an  appearance 
of  accuracy  and  precision  throughout  the  whole,  to  be  very 
explicitly  laid  before  the  hearers.  As  an  instance  of  a just 
partition,  that  given  by  Dr.  Tillotson  of  the  nature  and  ex- 
tent of  gospel  obedience,  may  serve  for  an  example.  The 
properties  of  such  an  obedience,  he  divides  into  these  three, 
sincerity,  universality  and  constancy.  This  division  is  taken 
from  the  essential  qualities  of  the  subject ; it  may  sometimes 
be  taken  from  the  component  parts.  The  preacher’s  design, 
I shall  suppose,  is  to  explain  the  duty  of  prayer,  and  from  the 
consideration  of  the  constituent  members  of  his  subject,  he 
divides  his  discourse  into  three  heads,  destined  severally  for 
the  explanation  of  the  three  parts,  confession,  petition  and 
thanksgiving.  To  these  some  improperly  add  a fourth, 
adoration ; I say  improperly,  because  this,  so  far  from  being 
a distinct  member,  is  necessarily  implied  in  each  of  the 
others;  insomuch  that  none  of  them  can  be  explained  or 
conceived  without  it.  Each  implies  the  acknowledgment  of 
the  superintendency  and  perfections  of  God,  and  of  our  own 
dependency  and  obligations.  Such  a distribution,  therefore, 
in  which  adoration  were  made  a separate  member,  would  be 
as  though  one  should  divide  an  animal  body  into  these  four 
parts,  the  head,  the  trunk,  the  limbs,  and  the  blood,  which 
last  is  manifestly  essential  to  all  the  parts,  and  does  not  con- 
stitute a separate  branch  or  member,  as  it  pervades  the  whole 
and  every  part.  This  by  the  way  may  serve  as  a specimen 
of  a faulty  division.  As  to  the  order,  in  which  the  different 
branches  ought  to  be  proposed  and  treated,  that  is  no  doubt 
sometimes  discretionary,  but  more  frequently  it  may  be  de- 
termined by  something  in  the  nature  of  the  subject.  That 
which  is  simplest  and  plainest  ought  generally  to  be  begun 
with,  and  from  this  we  ought  to  advance  to  that  which  is  less 
obvious  and  more  complex;  but  of  this  more  afterwards.  So 
far  I thought  it  proper  to  proceed  in  considering  the  general 
qualities,  which  affect  the  introduction,  the  exposition  of 
the  text  and  context,  where  an  exposition  of  either  or  both  is 
necessary,  and  the  propounding  of  the  subject  and  the  method. 

Before  we  proceed,  it  will  be  necessary  to  consider  a little 
more  particularly,  in  what  manner  the  text  and  the  subject 
ought  to  be  adapted  to  each  other.  And  here  the  first  thing 
that  necessarily  demands  our  attention  is,  that  the  text  ought 
to  be  chosen  for  the  subject,  and  not  the  subject  for  the  text. 


LECTURES  ON  PULTIT  ELOQUENCE. 


425 


Nor  will  this  observation  be  found,  upon  inquiry,  of  so  little 
moment  as  at  first  sight  it  may  appear  to  be.  It  is  manifest 
from  the  general  taste  and  manner  that  has  hitherto  prevailed 
in  preaching,  that  the  text,  rather  indeed  the  words  of  a cer- 
tain portion  of  Scripture,  hath  been  the  primary  considera- 
tion, and  the  subject  at  best  but  a secondary  one.  Or  if  it 
bath  happened,  that  the  subject  hath  been  first  thought  of  by 
the  speaker,  he  no  sooner  deviseth  a text,  than  he  judges  it 
necessary  to  attach  to  his  principal  subject  certain  other  sub- 
ordinate ones,  suggested  not  by  the  sentiment  conveyed,  but 
by  the  expressions  used  in  the  text.  The  consequence  is, 
that  there  is  hardly  one  sermon  in  a hundred,  wherein  that 
unity  of  design  is  observed,  which  constitutes  one  great  ex- 
cellence in  every  composition. ^ 

I mentioned  in  the  beginning  of  my  last  prelection,  that 
the  first  thing  that  falls  under  the  preacher’s  consideration  is 
the  subject.  Unity  I then  observed  was  a principal  requisite 
in  the  subject ; but  deferred  stating  the  precise  notion  of  it, 
till  we  should  come  to  treat  of  that  part  of  the  discourse, 
which  includes  the  declared  design  of  the  performance  and 
the  manner  in  which  it  is  proposed  to  prosecute  it.  This  will 
be  somewhat  different  in  the  different  kinds  of  sermons ; I 
shall  consider  the  unity  of  each,  at  least  what  is  peculiar  in 
each,  in  the  explication  of  the  kind.  And  as  to  that  kind  of 
which  we  are  now  treating,  the  explanatory,  let  us  suppose 
one  intending  to  compose  a sermon  in  this  way  hath  chosen 
for  his  subject,  the  doctrine  of  the  Divine  Omniscience.  Af- 
ter searching  for  some  time  for  a proper  text  I suppose  he  de- 
termines to  take  Heb.  4:  13 ; which  though  complex  in  the 


^ In  prescribing  tasks  for  trying  the  abilities  of  the  students  of 
theology,  in  instructing  and  persuading,  it  is  the  common  practice  to 
assign  them  a text  on  which  to  prepare  a sermon.  And  this  method 
1 followed  for  some  time.  The  consequence  1 found  to  be,  that  in- 
stead of  one  subject  in  a discourse  we  often  heard  discussed  in  one 
sermon  two  or  three  distinct  subjects.  I have  therefore  resolved  in- 
stead of  a text  to  prescribe  a subject,  leaving  to  the  student  to  find 
out  a proper  text  for  himself ; for  example,  some  doctrine  or  precept 
of  the  gospel  to  be  defined  and  illustrated  in  an  explanatory  sermon, 
or  some  duty  to  be  inculcated  or  evil  to  be  warned  against  inasuasory 
discourse.  As  this  way  of  prescribing  a subject  gives  a greater  pro- 
bability that  unity  and  simplicity  shall  be  preserved  in  the  composi- 
tion, than  that  of  assigning  a text,  and  as  the  subject  ought  always  to 
be  first  in  the  intention  of  the  composer,  I have  thought  this  method 
upon  the  whole  greatly  preferable. 

36* 


426 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


terms,  is  sufficiently  simple  in  the  sentiment.  The  words 
are,  Neither  is  there  any  creature  that  is  not  manifest  in 
his  sight ; but  all  things  are  naked  and  opened  unto  the  eyes 
of  him  with  whom  we  have  to  do.^’  It  is  a thousand  to  one 
he  would  judge  it  no  other  than  a piece  of  justice  to  his  text, 
to  discuss  a number  of  adventitious  points,  which,  if  without 
any  text  he  had  been  required  to  explain  the  doctrine  of  the 
omniscience,  he  would  never  have  dreamt  to  have  any  con- 
nection* with  his  subject.  Such  as  these  for  instance,  to  con- 
sider what  is  implied  in  the  manifestation  of  a creature,  or  in 
its  being  naked  and  opened  ; in  what  respect  these  phrases 
may  be  used  relatively,  so  that  a creature  may  be  said  to  be 
manifested,  naked-  and  opened  to  the  eyes  of  one,  which  is 
nevertheless  undiscovered,  clothed  and  shut  to  the  eyes  of 
another ; again,  who  is  meant  by  the  apostle  in  that  expres- 
sion, Him  with  whom  we  have  to  do;  and  why  God  is  so  de- 
nominated. Yet  will  any  one  say,  that  these  critical  in- 
quiries, (which  in  a critical  exercise  on  the  passage  would  be 
very  proper,)  are  I say  not,  necessary,  but  any  wise  conduc- 
tive to  the  illustration  of  this  simple  proposition,  God  know- 
eth  all  things  1 And  if  so,  there  can  be  no  unity  in  the  sub- 
ject, nor  simplicity  in  the  performance,  in  which  things  so  di- 
verse are  jumbled  together.  The  only  connection  there  is 
among  them  is  not  a natural,  but  accidental  connection  aris- 
ing merely  from  the  terms  in  which  the  sentiment  is  express- 
ed. Sometimes  it  is  necessary  to  recur  to  such  texts,  be- 
cause a simpler  expression  of  the  sense,  though  more  eligible 
is  not  to  be  found  in  the  words  of  Scripture.  But  then  if  there 
be  any  difficulty,  it  is  sufficient  to  remove  it  by  the  way,  in 
showing  the  import  of  the  text,  or  in  a brief  paraphrase  on 
the  words,  or  even  in  a plain  synonymous  sentence.  It  must 
ever  be  remembered,  that  it  is  the  leading  sentiment  convey- 
ed in  the  text,  which  it  is  the  preacher’s  business  to  illustrate, 
and  not  the  terms  or  phrases  by  which  it  is  conveyed.  It  is 
this  difference  that  makes  a principal  distinction  between  ev- 
ery kind  of  sermons  whatever,  and  that  species  of  lecture 
which  we  called  exposition,  wherein  the  text  is  itself  proper- 
ly the  subject,  and  not  to  be  considered  as  a bare  expression 
of  the  subject.  Now  it  is  this  false  taste  in  preaching  which 
hath  given  rise  to  the  censure  formerly  quoted  from  Voltaire, 
in  as  much  as  the  speaker  is  not  employed  in  the  discussion 
of  any  one  subject,  but  is,  as  it  were,  amusing  himself  and 
his  hearers  with  a number  of  little  independent  dissertations 


LECTURES  ON  PULEIT  ELOQUENCE. 


427 


on  the  different  words,  idioms  and  references  which  are  found 
in  a line  or  two  of  sacred  writ.  It  will  perhaps  be  urged, 
that  there  are  few  passages,  which  from  the  turn  of  the  ex- 
pression would  lead  the  speaker  into  such'  devious  tracts,  as 
that  above  quoted;  but  in  reality,  where  the  same  notion  pre- 
vails in  regard  to  pulpit  composition,  there  can  hartlly  be 
found  a text  so  si(nple,  as  will  not  afford  some.,  occasion  for 
the  same  manner  of  treating  the  subject.  Let  us  suppose 
that  the  preacher’s  subject  is  to  explain  this  doctrine  of  reve- 
lation, that  the  grace  of  God  is  the  genuine  source  of  man’s 
salvation,  and  let  us  suppose  he  chooseth  for  his  text-Eph.  2: 
8,  By  grace  are  ye  saved.”  One  more  simple  or  more  ap- 
posite is  not  even  to  be  conceived.  Yet  the  most  general  and 
approved  way,  in  which,  in  many  places,  this  theme  at  pres- 
ent would  be  managed,  is  the  following.  First,  would  the 
speaker  say,  I shall  explain  what  is  meant  by  grace;  second- 
ly, I shall  show  what  is  meant  by  salvation,  or  what  it  is  to 
be  saved  : thirdly,  and  lastly,  the  rHation  which  one  of  these 
bears  to  the  other,  or  the  dependence  of  the  latter  upon  the 
former.  Methinks  I hear  it  resound  from  every  quarter, 
could  there  be  a juster  method,  or  one  that  more  perfectly 
exhausts  the  text  ? No  indeed,  if  we  are  barely  to  regard  the 
words ; in  which  case  it  may  be  said  to  be  three  texts  more 
properly  than  one.  My  intended  subject  was  only  one,  but 
here  we  have  no  less  than  three.  Ay  but,  say  you,  are  not 
these  three  so  intimately  connected,  that  the  one  cannot  be 
perfectly  understood  without  the  other  ? That  they  are  in- 
deed connected  is  very  certain,  but  so  also  are  all  the  doc- 
trines and  precepts  of  our  religion.  Is  it  therefore  impossible 
to  explain  one  without  explaining  them  all  ? If  so,  every 
sermon  ought  to  be  a system,  both  of  the  tenets  and  of  the 
duties  of  Christianity.  And  as  the  Christian  system  is  only 
one,  in  this  way  there  should  be  no  more  but  one  sermon. 
And  as  strange  as  it  may  appear,  I have  known  preachers, 
and  very  popular  preachers  too,  whom  I have  heard  frequent- 
ly, and  yet  can  say  with  truth,  I never  heard  from  them  but 
one  sermon.  The  form,  the  mould  into  which  it  was  cast, 
was  different  according  to  the  different  texts,  but  the  matter 
was  altogether  the  Same.  You  had  invariably  the  preacher’s 
whole  system,  original  sin,  the  incarnation,  the  satisfaction, 
election,  imputed  righteousness,  justification  by  faith,  sancti- 
fication by  the  Spirit,  and  so  forth.  As  to  the  practical  part, 
including  the  duties  which  our  religion  requires,  whether  it 


428 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


was,  that  it  appeared  more  obvious  or  of  less  consequence,  I 
cannot  say,  but  it  was  very  rarely  and  very  slightly  touched. 
The  discourses  of  such  people  have  often  put  me  in  mind  of 
the  clay,  with  which  children  sometimes  divert  themselves. 
The  very  same  mass,  they  at  one  time  mould  into  the  figure 
of  a man,  at  another,  into  that  of  a beast,  at  a third,  into  the 
shape  of  a bird,  and  at  a fourth,  into  the  appearance  of  a ta- 
ble or  stool.  But  you  are  sure  of  one  thing,  that  whatever 
be  the  change  on  its  external  form,  its  substance  is  unaltera- 
bly the  same.  Yet  these  people  argue  with  an  apparent 
plausibility.  Such  a one  explaining  the  character  expressed 
in  the  words  in  heart,  tells  us  that  in  order  to  understand 
it  rightly  we  must  consider  it  in  its  source,  the  sanctifying 
operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  better  to  understand  this 
we  ought  to  consider  our  previous  natural  corruption.  This 
brings  us  directly  to  original  sin,  which  makes  it  necessary 
to  inquire  into  that  original  righteousness  whereof  it  is  the 
privation.  And  this  being  implied  in  the  expression,  image 
of  God,  leads  us  to  the  examination  of  the  divine  perfections. 
These  again  are  best  illustrated  by  the  effects,  the  works  of 
creation  and  providence,  and  especially  the  work  of  redemp- 
tion. This  method  of  arguing  puts  me  in  mind  of  a story 
told  by  D’Alembert  in  an  essay  on  the  liberty  of  music. 
‘‘  Dioptrics,”  said  a certain  profound  philosophical  professor 
to  his  pupils,  ‘‘  is  the  science  which  teaches  us  the  use  of 
spectacles  and  spy-glasses.  Now  these  are  of  no  value  with- 
out eyes ; the  eyes  are  the  organs  of  (5ne  of  our  senses, 
the  existence  of  our  senses  supposes  the  existence  of  God, 
since  it  is  God  who  gave  us  them  ; the  existence  of  God  is 
the  foundation  of  the  Christian  religion — we  purpose  there- 
fore to  evince  the  truth  of  the  Christian  religion,  as  the  first 
lesson  in  Dioptrics.”  I shall  only  say  in  general  of  this  meth- 
od, when  induced  into  the  pulpit,  that  however  acceptable  it 
may  be  with  the  many,  with  whom  sound  always  goes  much 
farther  than  sense,  and  favorite  words  and  phrases  to  which 
their  ears  have  been  accustomed,  than  the  most  judicious  sen- 
timent, I know  no  surer  method  of  rendering  preaching  ut- 
terly inefficacious  and  uninstructive.  To  attempt  everything 
is  the  direct  way  to  effect  nothing.  If  you  will  go  over  every 
part,  you  must  be  superficial  in  every  part ; you  can  examine 
no  part  to  any  useful  purpose.  What  would  you  think  of  a 
professor  of  anatomy,  who  should  run  over  all  the  organs  and 
limbs  and  parts  of  the  human  body  external  and  internal  in 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


429 


every  lecture,  and  think  himself  sufficiently  excused  by  say- 
ing that  there  is  a connection  in  all  the  parts ; and  that  the 
treating  of  one  naturally  led  him  to  say  something  of  another  ; 
and  soon,  till  he  got  through  the  whole?  Or,  what  would 
your  opinion  be  of  a lecturer  in  architect»ire,  who  in  every 
discourse  discussed  all  the  five  orders,  and  did  not  leave  a 
single  member  or  ornament  in  any  one  of  them  unnamed? 
From  such  teachers  could  a reasonable  man  expect  to  learn 
anything  but  words  ? The  head  of  the  learner  would,  in 
consequence  of  this  extraordinary  manner  of  teaching,  very 
quickly  be  stuffed  with  technical  terms  and  phrases  to  which 
he  could  affix  no  definite  signification.  He  might  soon  be 
made  an  accomplished  pedant  in  these  arts ; but,  to  the  end 
of  the  world,  would  not  in  this  way  be  rendered  a proficient. 
And  do  we  not  see  among  the  common  people  many  such  pe- 
dants in  divinity,  who  think  themselves  wonderful  scholars, 
because  they  have  got  the  knack  of  uttering,  with  great  vol- 
ubility, all  the  favorite  phrases  and  often  unmeaning  cant  of 
a particular  sect  or  faction  ? It  is  indeed  solely  to  be  imputed 
to  that  jealousy,  which  party  spirit  and  our  unhappy  divisions 
in  religious  matters  have  produced,  that  this  futile  manner 
owes  its  origin.  Inconsequence  of  this  party  spirit  many 
hearers,  whose  minds  are  unhappily  poisoned  with  its  malig- 
nity, come  to  a new  preacher  with  an  anxious  concern  not  to 
be  instructed,  but  to  be  satisfied  whether  he  is  what  they  call 
orthodox,  is  a true  partizan  and  has  the  shibboleth  of  the  par- 
ty in  him;  and  the  preacher,  on  the  other  hand,  either  be- 
cause he  hath  imbibed  the  same  sectarian  spirit,  or  because 
he  is  more  ambitious  to  please  than  to  edify,  takes  this  way, 
which  is  by  far  the  shortest  and  the  easiest,  of  ingratiating 
himself  into  their  favor. 

But  to  return  to  the  particular  instance  which  gave  rise  to 
these  observations.  All  that  in  regard  to  the  two  points, 
grace  and  salvation,  is  previously  necessary  to  the  explica- 
tion of  the  only  point  which  makes  the  subject,  is  to  observe, 
in  so  many  words,  that  grace  means  here  the  unmerited  favor 
of  God,  and  salvation,  deliverance  from  all  that  evil  which  is 
consequent  on  sin.  And  this  may  be  sufficiently  effected  in 
the  exposition  of  the  text,  or  in  a paraphrase  upon  it.  Nay, 
whatever  further  is  of  importance  as  to  both  these  points, 
grace  and  salvation,  will  necessarily  and  more  naturally 
occur,  without  doing  any  violence  to  the  unity  and  simplicity 
of  the  discourse,  in  the  illustration  of  the  subject,  which  is 


430 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


purely  to  show  in  what  respect  divine  grace  is  the  genuine 
source  of  men’s  salvation.  But  would  you  have  only  one 
point?  Where  is  then  the  distribution  or  partition  of  the 
subject,  of  which  you  spoke  before?  I would  indeed  have 
but  one  subject,  though,  where  the  nature  of  the  thing  will 
admit  it,  distributed  for  order’s  and  for  memory’s  sake  into 
its  different  members,  and  then  the  several  points  in  the  divi- 
sion must  appear  as  the  constituent  parts  of  one  subject  and 
one  whole,  and  not  as  so  many  distinct  though  related  sub- 
ject or  wholes.  Thus  the  forementioned  subject  may  be 
illustrated  under  these  two  articles,  which  will  make  the 
heads  of  discourse  ; the  plan  itself  of  our  redemption  by  the 
mediation  of  the  Son  is  the  result  of  grace  or  unmerited 
favor ; the  completion  of  it  in  us  by  the  operation  of  the 
Spirit  is  also  the  result  of  grace.  Both  these  manifestly 
centre  in  the  same  point;  salvation  springs  from  grace. 
But  if  you  must  draw  in  everything  that  is  related,  you  can 
never  have  done  till  you  have  made  your  sermon  a complete 
system  of  Christian  divinity. 

The  method  in  making  sermons,  which  for  a long  time 
hath  carried  the  vogue  in  this  country  over  every  other,  and 
which  is  considered  as  very  simple  compared  with  the  more 
labored  and  intricate  methods  formerly  in  use,  is  a division 
of  every  text,  into  what  the  schoolmen  call  the  subject,  the 
predicate  and  the  copula.  Thus,  suppose  the  topic  to  be 
discussed  were  the  nature  of  the  divine  faithfulness,  and  the 
text  1 Cor.  10:  13,  “God  is  faithful;”  this  most  simple  and 
apposite  passage  would  be  divided  into  three  heads.  The 
first  would  be  the  divine  nature ; the  second,  the  attribute  of 
faithfulness;  and  the  third,  the  connection  between  the  two. 
This  is  not  discoursing  on  the  subject,  but  cutting  the  text 
into  fritters,  where  if  the  subject  come  in  for  a share,  it  is 
much;  often  it  is  eluded  altogether.  But  the  impropriety, 
and  if  it  were  not  for  the  commonness,  I should  say  the  pue- 
rility of  this  manner  will  appear  better  by  applying  it  to  other 
matters,  in  which  the  pulpit  is  not  concerned.  I shall  sup- 
pose one  hath  it  prescribed  to  him  as  the  subject  of  an  ora- 
tion, an  inquiry  into  the  antiquity  of  rhyme.  Accordingly 
he  goes  to  work,  and  having  well  weighed  every  word  and 
syllable  of  the  question,  he  thus  lays  down  his  plan  of  opera- 
tions. First,  says  he,  I shall  consider  what  is  implied  in  the 
word  antiquity,  and  all  the  different  acceptations  of  which 
the  term  is  susceptible  ; secondly,  I shall  consider  the  nature, 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


43J 


import  and  properties  of  what  is  called  rhyme ; and  thirdly, 
the  relation  in  which  the  one  stands  to  the  other,  or  how  far 
and  in  what  respect  the  one  may  be  justly  predicated  of  the 
other.  Could  any  one  imagine  that  such  a disquisitor  un- 
derstood the  subject  ? Good  people  are  sometimes  offended 
at  the  application  of  the  word  eloquence  to  preaching.  They 
think  it  savors  of  something  merely  human  and  too  artificial. 
But  the  art  of  preaching,  as  in  fact  it  hath  been  long  taught 
and  practised  by  the  men,  whom  those  people  generally  most 
admire,  is  the  genuine  offspring  of  the  dialectic  of  the  schools, 
and  fifty  times  more  artificial,  or  if  you  will  mechanical,  than 
that  which  true  rhetoric  would  inculcate.  On  the  contrary, 
it  is  the  business  of  the  latter  to  bring  men  back  from  all 
scholastic  pedantry  and  jargon,  to  nature,  simplicity  and 
truth.  And  let  me  add,  that  discourses  on  this  plan  will  be 
found  much  more  conformable,  in  manner  and  composition, 
to  the  simple  but  excellent  models  to  be  found  in  sacred  writ. 


LECTURE  IX. 

OF  EXPLANATORY  SERMONS HOW  THE  BRANCHES  SHOULD 

BE  ARRANGED  AND  TREATED- — OF  THE  STYLE TECHNI- 

CAL LANGUAGE  TO  BE  AVOIDED  AND  THAT  OF  SCRIPTURE 
PREFERRED ABUSE  OF  SCRIPTURE  STYLE OF  THE  CON- 

CLUSION. 

In  my  last  discourse  on  Christian  eloquence,  I considered 
part  of  the  explanatory  sermon,  which  was  begun  with  as  the 
simplest ; to  wit,  the  exordium  or  introduction,  the  propos- 
ing of  the  design,  with  the  explication  of  the  text  and  context 
where  such  explication  is  necessary,  and  the  division  of  the 
subject.  I should  now  proceed  to  consider  in  what  method 
^the  branches  of  the  division  should  be  ranged,  how  they 
should  be  treated,  and  the  properest  way  of  forming  the  con- 
clusion. As  to  the  first,  the  order  in  which  the  principal 
heads  of  a discourse  ought  to  be  arranged,  this  is  sometimes 
of  considerable  consequence,  sometimes  it  is  a matter  merely 
discretionary.  It  is  of  consequence,  when  the  knowledge  of 
one  part  is,  in  its  nature,  pre-requisite  to  the  right  under- 
standing of  another  part;  it  is  also  of  consequence,  when  in 


432 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


the  order  of  time  or  of  nature,  the  one  part  is  conceived  as 
preceding  the  other.  The  arrangement  may  be  said  to  be 
discretionary,  when  neither  of  the  above  mentioned  cases 
takes  place.  Suppose,  for  instance,  the  preacher’s  subject 
were  the  nature  of  evangelical  repentance,  and  he  w'ere  dis- 
posed to  comprehend  the  whole  under  the  three  following 
heads,  a proper  sense  and  conviction  of  sin,  pious  and  suita- 
ble resolutions  from  an  apprehension  of  divine  mercy  through 
the  mediation  of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  and  a real  conver- 
sion or  change  to  the  obedience  of  God.  The  order,  in  which 
these  topics  have  just  now  been  mentioned,  is  the  only  order 
in  which  the  subject  could  properly  be  discussed.  The  right 
understanding  of  every  previous  member  is  preparatory  to 
the  right  understanding  of  that  which  follows.  This  arrange- 
ment will  perhaps  be  considered  also  as  fixed  by  the  order  of 
nature  and  of  time.  I shall  for  another  instance  recur  to 
that  mentioned  in  a former  lecture.  Suppose  then  the 
preacher’s  subject  is  to  illustrate  this  important  evangelical 
truth,  that  grace  or  the  unmerited  favor  of  God  is  the  genuine 
source  of  man’s  salvation ; suppose  further,  that  one  chooses 
for  the  illustration  of  it  the  two  topics  also  above  mentioned  ; 
the  plan  of  our  redemption  by  Jesus  Christ  is  purely  the  re- 
sult of  grace  or  unmerited  favor,  the  completion  of  this  plan 
in  us  by  the  operation  of  the  Spirit  is  also  the  result  of  grace. 
It  is  evident,  that  the  order  in  which  these  two  topics  are 
now  laid  down,  is  the  only  natural  order  in  which  they  could 
be  treated.  The  plan  is  ever  conceived  as  previous  to_  the 
execution.  But  in  another  example  of  distribution  taken 
from  Tillotson,  of  the  characters  of  gospel  obedience,  into 
sincerity,  universality  and  constancy,  it  is  not  perhaps  mate- 
rial in  what  order  you  explain  these  particulars.  As  there 
are  few  cases,  however,  in  which  even  this  circumstance, 
when  attentively  considered,  will  appear  perfectly  indifferent, 
I should  like  best  the  order  wherein  I have  just  now  named 
them,  though  I could  not  deny,  that  in  any  order  they  might 
be  treated  with  sufficient  perspicuity.  Indeed  in  the  other 
instance  also  above  mentioned  of  prayer,  as  divided  into  its 
constituent  parts,  petition,  confession  [and  thanksgiving,  the 
order  is  perhaps  as  much  discretionary,  as  in  any  example 
that  could  be  produced.  Again,  as  in  the  explication  of  the 
principal  heads  or  topics,  there  may  be  scope  for  a subdi- 
vision, the  same  remarks  will  hold  with  regard  to  the  ar- 
rangement of  the  constituent  members  of  that  subdivsion. 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


433 


But  as  it  is  impossible,  that  one  who  hinjself  understands  the 
subject  that  he  treats,  should  not  perceive  the  dependence  of 
the  parts  and  consequently  the  natural  order,  where  the  sub- 
ject  gives  scope  for  it,  I should  think  it  losing'  time  to  enter 
more  minutely  into  the  discussion  of  this  point.  I shall  only 
further  remark  on  the  article  of  arrangement,  thSt  as  a multi- 
plicity of  divisions  and  subdivisions  is  not  only  cumbersome 
to  the  memory,  but  savors  too  much  of  artifice  and  a kind  of 
minute  and  finical  precision,  a speaker  ought  carefully  to 
avoid  it.  Do  not  imagine,  that  by  this  I mean  to  recommend 
a rambling  and  desultory  manner  of  treating  a subject.  No- 
thing can  be  farther  from  my  intention.  I know  well  the 
power  of  method  for  assisting  both  the  understanding  and 
the  memory,  and  with  how  much  justice  Horace  hath  styled 
it  lucidus  ordo,  as  being  that  which,  of  all  qualities,  tends 
most  to  throw  light  upon  a subject.  But  though  a just  and 
natural  order  ought  ever  to  be  preserved  in  the  disposition  of 
the  sentiments  in  a sermon,  the  formality  of  always  proposing 
or  laying  down  that  order,  especially  in  the  subordinate  parts 
or  inferior  branches  of  a discourse,  is  rarely  the  most  eligible 
method  for  recommending  what  you  say  to  the  attention  of 
the  hearers. 

I Need  I add,  that  in  general  in  this  kind  of  discourses  the 
/style  should  be  remarkably  simple  and  perspicuous.  The 
immediate  end  is  distinct  apprehension.  It  therefore  admits 
but  few  ornaments.  Sometimes  indeed  it  will  receive  very 
properly  a sort  of  painting  or  imagery,  which  seems  more 
immediately  intended  to  delight  the  fancy,  but  which  season- 
ably enough  relieves  the  minds  of  the  hearers  from  too  intense 
an  application  of  thought,  to  what  in  itself  may  be  called  a 
sort  of  abstract  truth,  an  application,  of  which  the  generality 
of  hearers  are  very  little  capable  ; at  the  same  time  that  it 
fixes  their  attention  and  even  conveys  to  them  more  distinct 
conceptions,  by  a happy  illustration  of  things  less  known  by 
things  familiar  to  them.  Thus  the  great  truths  in  relation 
to  the  kingdom  of  heaven  were  ever  illustrated  to  the  people 
by  Him,  whom  we  ought  to  regard  as  our  pattern  in  teach- 
ing as  well  as  in  life  and  practice,  by  the  common  incidents 
and  affairs  of  this  world,  with  which  they  had  occasion  to  be 
well  acquainted.  1 would  not,  however,  by  this  be  under- 
stood to  recommend  so  close  an  imitation  of  our  Lord’s  man- 
ner, as  to  endeavor  to  convey  everything  in  parables  and 
allegories.  I am  afraid,  this  might  give  scope  for  too  close  a 


434  LECTTOES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 

comparison,  which  would  redound  greatly  to  the  disadvantage 
of  any  modern  speaker ; besides,  I must  acknowledge  that 
though  in  what  concerns  the  matter,  the  great  truths  of  re- 
ligion remain  invariably  the  same,  yet  in  what  regards  the 
general  manner  of  communicating  them,  the  mode  or  custom 
of  the  country  where  we  live,  ought  not  altogether  to  be  over- 
looked. In  a remarkable  deviation  from  it,  there  is  always 
the  disagreeable  appearance  of  affectation.  The  warmer  and 
livelier  manner  of  the  orientals  never  fails  to  please  us  ex- 
ceedingly in  their  writings ; at  the  same  time  that  it  appears 
to  sit  very  awkwardly  on  a modern  European.  It  suggests 
the  idea  rather  of  mimicry  or  a servile  copying,  than  of  a 
liberal  imitation.  Certain  things  in  the  manner  of  convey- 
ing instruction,  as  well  as  the  words  and  phrases  of  the  lan- 
guage that  we  employ,  are  in  every  age  and  nation  dependent 
upon  use,  from  which  we  cannot  deviate  far  without  becom- 
ing ridiculous.  But  there  is  sufficient  scope  for  imitating  the 
manner  of  our  Lord,  by  a proper  choice  of  similes  and  exam- 
ples borrowed  from  things  human,  for  assisting  the  apprehen- 
sion of  the  people  in  things  divine. 

In  regard  to  the  manner  of  treating  the  different  branches 
of  the  subject,  I shall  only  further  add,  that  if  there  occur, 
on  any  of  them,  any  difficulty  arising  either  from  the  nature 
of  the  point  to  be  discussed,  or  from  misconceptions  of  the 
subject  commonly  entertained,  or  from  any  customary  but 
wrong  way  of  explaining  it,  such  difficulties  will  generally  be 
best  obviated  in  the  entry ; I say,  generally,  because  some- 
times a simple  and  distinct  explanation  will  make  the  diffi- 
culty entirely  vanish,  and  at  most  it  will  require  only  one^s 
remarking,  as  it  were  by  the  way,  the  misrepresentation  that 
has  been  given,  or  the  misconception  that  has  been  enter- 
tained of  such  a part  of  the  subject.  Let  it  serve  also  as  a 
general  rule  in  this  kind  of  discourses,  to  avoid  too  great 
subtlety  and  depth  'in  yoiir  explanations.  The  many  con- 
troversies that  have  arisen  in  the  Christian  church,  and  the 
parties  and  factions  into  which  Christendom  is  unhappily 
divided,,  have  amongst  all  of  them,  in  less  or  more,  given 
rise  to  a scholastic  manner  of  treating  almost  every  question 
in  divinity,  a manner  extremely  unsuitable  to  the  simplicity 
of  the  sacred  idiom,  and  the  purpose  of  edifying  a Christian 
congregation.  The  same  thing  has  also  given  rise  to  a sort 
of  technical  language  in  those  matters,  which  is  somewhat 
different,  indeed,  in  every  different  sect,  and  too  much  savor- 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


435 


ing  in  all  of  the  cobweb  distinctions  of  schoolmen  and  meta- 
physicians, but  very  little  of  the  wisdom  which  is  from  above. 
It  is  this  which  made  preaching  in  many  places  degenerate 
into  what  the  apostle  terms,  doting  about  questions  and 
strifes  of  words,  whereof  corneth  envy,  strife,  railings,  evil 
surmisings,  perverse  disputings  of  men  of  corrupt  minds  and 
destitute  of  the  truth.’’  I have  often  recommended,  and  can 
scarce  sufficiently  inculcate  on  all  students  in  theology,  to  be 
more  conversant  with  their  Bible,  than  with  the  writings  of 
any  of  the  most  celebrated  divines,  to  whatever  sect  or  party 
they  belong,  and  to  familiarize  themselves  to  the  style  and 
sentiments  of  the  former  much  more  than  to  those  of  the 
latter.  I am  far  from  thinking,  that  we  ought  to  reject  the 
use  of  the  latter  altogether ; but  am  clearly  of  opinion  that 
the  more  assiduous  and  unintermitted  study  of  the  former 
should  give  an  ascendent  in  our  minds  to  the  sentiments,  to 
the  turn  of  thinking,  and  even  to  the  forms  of  expression 
when  we  learn  them,  and  should  serve  as  a proper  check,  to 
prevent  our  imbibing  and  adopting  too  implicitly,  either  in 
tenets  or  in  style,  the  peculiarities  of  a sect. 

Before  I leave  this  article,  T would  also  warn  you  against 
another  fault,  which  is  sometimes  to  be  met  with,  and  that  is, 
using  the  Scripture  style  itself  in  an  unmeaning  manner. 
There  are,  especially  in  the  prophets,  it  must  be  acknow- 
ledged, several  passages,  about  the  sense  of  which  the  most 
learned  and  judicious  interpreters  are  divided  ; there  are 
many  more  expressions,  which  are  not  intelligible  at  least  to 
the  common  people ; and  even  of  many,  that  are  quite  per- 
spicuous when  considered  as  standing  in  connection  with  the 
context,  such  applications  are  often  made  as  convey  either 
no  meaning  at  all,  or  a very  different  meaning  from  that 
which  is  suggested  by  the  same  words  as  they  are  situated  in 
Scripture.  This  is  turning  the  language  of  the  Spirit  itself, 
if  not  to  a bad  use,  at  least  into  mere  cant  and  jargon,  a 
practice  exceedingly  common  in  the  theological  writings  of 
the  last  century  intended  for  the  use  of  the  people,  but  not 
so  often  to  be  met  with  in  the  present  age ; except  amongst 
a few,  on  whom  the  dregs  of  the  fanaticism,  conceited  igno- 
rance and  factious  spirit  of  the  former  seem  entirely  to  have 
settled.  The  true  origin  of  this  abuse  is  an  excessive  ten- 
dency to  the  use  of  Scripture  phraseology,  merely  in  the  way 
of  allusion.  Let  it  be  observed,  that  I do  by  no  means  con- 
demn in  the  gross  an  allusive  application  of  Scripture  phrases, 


436 


LECTURES  ON  FULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


when  clear,  when  apposite  and  when  emphatical,  as  they 
often  are,  although  we  be  sensible  that  the  meaning,  in  which 
we  employ  them,  does  not  coincide  wdth  that  which  they 
have  in  the  sacred  volume.  Where  they  are  not  quoted  in 
the  way  of  proof,  but  manifestly  adopted  in  the  way  of  illus- 
tration, they  produce  merely  the  effect  of  similitude,  contain- 
ing an  implicit  comparison  between  the  event  to  which  they 
originally  referred,  and  that  to  which  they  are  applied  by  the 
preacher.  Besides,  this  method  of  applying  by  way  of  allu- 
sion passages  of  the  Old  Testament,  we  find  also  frequently 
adopted  by  the  writers  of  the  New.  Such  an  use,  therefore, 
we  must  declare  in  general,  is  not  only  allowable,  but  often 
energetic.  It  requires,  however,  to  be  managed  with  the 
utmost  discretion.  Corruptio  optimi pessima  even  grown 
into  a proverb. 

There  are  tw^o  dangers,  in  particular,  which  here  ought  to 
be  carefully  guarded  against.  One  is,  that  whilst  we  mean 
only  to  make  an  allusive  application,  we  may  not  express 
ourselves  in  such  a manner,  as  might  seem  to  fix  a sense  on 
holy  writ  different  from  that  of  the  inspired  penmen.  The 
other  is,  that  we  do  not  run  into  the  obscure  and  enigmatic 
style,  as  is  sometimes  done  through  an  excessive  inclination 
to  hunt  after  Scripture  phrases,  tropes  and  figures,  or  after 
figurative  applications  of  what  perhaps  was  sufficiently  plain 
in  the  literal  and  original  use.  Nothing  can  be  more  op- 
posite to  the  nature  and  intention  of  the  explanatory  dis- 
course, than  such  a method.  For  however  emphj^tical  a clear 
and  apposite  allusion  may  be,  nothing  can  have  a worse 
effect,  when  the  resemblance  is  but  faint  and  scarcely  dis- 
cernible ; for  then  the  way  of  applying  the  sacred  words  ine- 
vitably appears  to  the  more  judicious  hearers  affected  and 
far-fetched  ; and  though  the  imaginations  of  the  more  ignor- 
ant may  be  pleased,  and  their  ears  as  it  were  tickled  by  the 
use  of  phrases,  for  which  through  habit  they  have  acquired  a 
veneration,  their  understandings  are  not  at  all  enlightened. 
On  the  contrary,  the  subject,  (though  they  may  not  be  sensi- 
ble of  it  ; for  those  of  this  class  are  very  prone  to  mistake 
words  for  things,  and  mere  sound  for  sense,)  is  more  veiled 
and  darkened  to  them,  than  it  was  before.  A preacher  who 
is  ever  on  the  scent,  (and  such  preachers  I have  sometimes 
heard,)  for  allusive  Scripture  phrases,  can  express  nothing  in 
a simple,  natural  and  perspicuous  manner.  He  will  exhibit 
to  you  the  mental  blindness  of  the  unregenerate,  by  telling 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


437 


you,  that  they  ‘‘see  men  as  trees  walking;”  spiritual  and 
temporal  mercies  he  rarely  fails  to  denominate,  “ the  bles- 
sings of  the  upper  and  the  nether  springs;”  in  order  to  de- 
note the  assurance,  which  the  church  or  Christian  communi- 
ty have  of  a triumph  over  all  their  enemies,  he  will  tell  us, 
“ the  shout  of  a king  is  among  them,  and  he  hath  as  it  were 
the  strength  of  an  unicorn  ;”  and  to  express  I know  not 
what,  (but  I have  myself  heard  the  phrase  adopted  by  preach- 
ers of  this  stamp,)  he  tells  us  very  pompously,  “ the  king’s 
goings  are  always  to  be  seen  in  the  sanctuary.”  Nay, 
what  is  worse,  (but  I remark  it  here  only  by  the  way) 
sometimes  dark  and  indefinite  expressions,  like  these, 
are  converted  into  petitions  and  adopted  in  public  pray- 
er. Such  will  say,  “ may  the  shout  of  a king  be  amongst 
us;  may  his  goings  be  seen  in  the  sanctuary;”  and  many 
other  such  indefinite  and  dark  expressions  one  has  some- 
times occasion  to  hear,  where  they  are  exceedingly  unsuita- 
ble, in  the  public  devotions;  for  though  the  speaker  may 
himself  affix  some  meaning  to  them,  it  is  impossible  they 
should  be  understood  or  applied  aright  by  the  much  greater 
part  of  the  audience.  With  respect  to  them,  therefore,  he 
acts  much  the  same  part,  as  if  he  prayed  in  an  unknown 
tongue.  So  much  for  the  manner  and  the  style  in  which  the 
doctrines  and  the  duties  of  our  religion  ought  to  be  explained  to 
the  people.  I shall  only  add  upon  the  whole  of  this  branch 
of  the  subject,  as  a general  position  that  will  never  fail  to 
hold,  that  the  surest  expedient  that  any  person  can  devise,  for 
preventing  his  explanation  of  his  subject  from  being  unin- 
telligible to  the  hearers,  is  to  be  careful,  in  the  first  place, 
that  he  distinctly  understand  it  himself  It  was  well  said  by 
a master  in  this  valuable  art,  “ Si  rem  potenter  conceperis, 
nec  animus,  nec  facundia  in  concione  defutura  sunt;”  or  in 
the  words  of  Jerome,  “duia  firmiter  concepimus  bene  lo- 
quimur.”  We  may  safely  pronounce,  that  in  ninety-nine 
cases  out  of  a hundred,  where  we  find  in  any  writing  the 
thoughts  to  be  darkly  and  confusedly  expressed,  the  true  rea- 
son has  been  the  dark  and  confused  conceptions  of  the  au- 
thor. One  ought,  therefore,  before  all  things,  to  endeavor  to 
be  master  of  the  subject  which  he  explains,  to  range  his 
thoughts  properly  and  naturally,  to  have  a distinct  meaning  to 
every  expression  that  he  uses,  and  to  employ  only  such  as  he 
has  reason  to  believe  will  be  generally  intelligible. 

It  remains  only  now,  that  in  this  species  of  discourse  we 

37* 


488 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


^onsider  the  conclusion.  And  here,  if  not  always,  it  will  very 
^generally  be  proper,  to  begin  with  a brief  recapitulation  of. 
the  articles  discussed.  This  is  of  importance  both  for  the 
better  understanding  of  the  subject,  and  for  fixing  it  more 
firmly  in  the  memory,  and  is  almost  indispensable  when  the 
subject  happens  to  be  complex.  But  this  is  the  smallest  and 
the  easiest  part  of  what  in  such  discourses  should  constitute 
the  conclusion.  As  in  religion,  the  ultimate  end  both  of 
linowledge  and  faith  is  practice,  or  in  other  words,  the  real 
improvement  of  the  heart  and  life,  so  every  doctrine  whatever 
is  of  use,  either  as  a direction  in  the  performance  of  duty,  or 
as  a motive  to  it.  And  the  knowledge  and  belief  of  hearers 
are  no  farther  salutary  to  them,  than  this  great  end  is  reach- 
ed. On  the  contrary,  where  it  is  not  reached,  where  the 
heart  is  not  bettered  and  the  life  reformed,  they  prove  only 
the  means  of  aggravating  their  guilt  and  heightening  their 
condemnation.  The  doctrine  of  the  unity  and  spirituality  of 
the  Godhead  serve  to  point  out  the  proper  object  of  religious 
worship,  and  the  nature  of  that  worship  which  must  be  ac- 
ceptable to  God.  The  other  doctrines  concerning  the  divine 
attributes,  serve  both  for  our  direction  in  regard  to  the  ador- 
ation and  homage  which  we  owe  to  him,  and  also  as  motives 
to  the  duties  of  reverence,  trust,  love  and  obedience.  The 
Scripture  doctrine  in  regard  to  the  positive  institutions  of  re- 
ligion, serves  chiefly  to  direct  us  as  to  the  manner  and  dispo- 
sition in  which  these  institutions  ought  to  be  celebrated. 
The  other  doctrines  of  Christianity  are  manifestly  intended 
to  be  used,  and  are  employed  by  the  sacred  writers  as  mo- 
tives to  a pious  and  Christian  life.  How  strongly  does  the 
doctrine  of  the  mediation  enforce  the  calls  given  in  Scrip- 
ture to  sinners  to  repentance  ? How  powerfully  does  the 
doctrine  of  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  rightly  under- 
stood, tend  both  to  excite  us  to  assiduity  and  fervor  in  our 
devotions,  and  to  animate  our  endeavors  after  moral  perfec- 
tion in  the  persuasion  of  this  almighty  aid  1 Need  I suggest 
the  practical  use  to  which  the  doctrines  of  the  resurrection, 
of  the  future  judgment,  of  the  final  retribution,  of  heaven, 
hell  and  eternity  so  manifestly  point?  Nor  can  anything  ap- 
pear more  proper  and  natural,  than  such  a manner  of  ending 
a discourse  which,  as  to  the  substance  of  it,  was  addressed 
p\irely  to  the  understanding  of  the  hearers;  inasmuch  as  it  is 
incontrovertible,  that  the  revelation  of  these  important  truths 
delivered  in  the  gospel  was  never  intended  to  terminate  in 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


439 


being  understood  and  assented  to,  but  in  having  a happy  in- 
fluence on  the  disposition  of  mind  and  whole  behavior.  It 
was  not  given  to  gratify  our  curiosity,  but  to  regulate  our 
lives.  Hence  it  is,  that  we  find  it  so  frequently  in  Scripture 
joined  with  epithets  and  attributes  expressive  of  this  quality, 
a most  holy  faith,  a doctrine  according  to  godliness,  and 
sound  doctrine,  vyiaivovaa  SidaaxaXia,  wholesome  instruction, 
not  (as  the  expression  has  been  sometimes  perverted  by  the 
bigoted  retainers  to  a party)  a precise  conformity  in  phrase- 
ology and  opinion  to  all  the  little  captious  particularities  of  the 
sect.  It  is  impossible  to  conceive  anything  more  remote 
from  the  original  signification  of  the  word,  sound.  It  is  a 
term,  which  marks  not  the  logical  justness  of  a theory,  but 
its  beneficial  tendency;  it  is  not  the  truth  of  any  notion 
which  can  denominate  it  sound,  but  the  salutary  influence  it 
hath  on  human  life,  that  which  makes  it  serve  as  food  and 
medicine  to  the  soul.  Whatever  in  divinity  is  void  of  such 
influence,  like  the  far  greater  number  of  the  metaphysical 
questions  agitated  among  controvertists,  whether  true  or  false, 
is  hollow  and  unsound,  a barren  insignificant  specula- 
tion; whatever  hath  an  opposite  influence,  (and  such  doc- 
trines also  have  been  broached,)  and  tends  to  . subvert  the 
foundation  of  mutual  love  and  obligations  to  the  practice  of 
virtue,  is  more  properly  termed  poisonous.  Nay  the  pure 
unadulterated  tenets  of  the  gospel  have  so  direct  and  manifest 
a tendency  to  enforce  sanctity  of  life  and  manners,  that  when 
any  of  them  are  treated  of  by  the  inspired  writers  of  the  New 
Testament,  the  subject  is  almost  invariably  concluded  by 
such  a practical  application.  Thus  the  apostle  Peter,  2 
Peter  iii,  after  treating  of  the  general  conflagration,  very  nat- 
urally concludes,  Seeing  then  that  all  these  things  shall  be 
dissolved,  what  manner  of  persons  ought  ye  to  be  in  all  holy 
conversation  and  godliness  f and  after  taking  notice  of  the 
new  heavens  and  new  earth,  that  shall  succeed  the  present, 
he  adds,  Wherefore,  beloved,  seeing  that  ye  look  for  such 
things,  be  diligent  that  ye  may  be  found  of  him  in  peace 
without  spot  and  blameless.’’  In  like  manner,  the  apostle 
Paul,  after  treating  at  some  length  of  the  resurrection,  con- 
cludes the  whole  with  this  earnest  exhortation,  I Cor.  15  : 53, 
‘‘Therefore,  my  beloved  brethren,  be  ye  steadfast,  immovea- 
ble, always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord ; forasmuch 
as  ye  know  that  your  labor  is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord.”  It  is 
almost  only  this  part,  which  in  explanatory  discourses  admits 


440 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


of  warmth,  and  what  may  be  called  an  address  to  the  affec- 
tions. A deep  sense  in  the  preacher  of  the  importance  of 
this  improvement  of  every  instruction  which  he  gives,  an 
affectionate  desire  of  promoting  the  good  of  the  people,  and 
a zeal  for  the  interests  of  religion,  and  virtue  are  the  only 
sure  methods  I know  of,  for  qualifying  him  to  address  them 
suitably  and  efficaciously. 


LECTURE  X. 

OF  CONTROVERSIAL  DISCOURSES CANDOR  AND  SIMPLICITY 

EVER  TO  BE  STUDIED  IN  THE  DEFENCE  OF  TRUTH. 

I HAVE  now  finished  the  consideration  of  the  explanatory 
sermon,  which  is  of  all  the  kinds  mentioned  the  simplest,  and 
approaches  nearest  to  what  in  the  primitive  church  was  call- 
ed homily.  The  end  of  it,  as  was  observed,  is  to  dispel  igno- 
rance and  to  communicate  knowledge,  and  for  this  purpose 
it  addresses  the  understanding  of  the  hearers.  The  next  in 
order  is  the  controversial,  addressed  also  to  the  understand- 
ing, its  end  being  to  conquer  doubt  and  error,  and  to  pro- 
duce belief.  In  other  words,  by  the  first  it  is  proposed  to 
inform  the  hearers ; by  the  second,  to  convince  them.  It  is 
the  second  kind,  which  I now  intend  to  consider.  There 
are  many  observations,  such  as  those  regarding  the  unity  of 
the  subject,  the  choice  of  a text,  the  topics  proper  for  the  ex- 
ordium, the  explication  of  text  and  context,  where  necessary, 
which  hold  equally  in  all  the  kinds,  and  therefore  need  not 
be  repeated  in  the  examination  of  each  different  kind. 

In  regard  to  the  unity  of  the  subject,  I shall  only  observe, 
that  here  it  admits  rather  a clearer  definition  or  description, 
than  perhaps  in  any  of  the  others.  A controversial  sermon 
is  then  strictly  one,  when  there  is  only  one  thesis,  as  I may 
u-^all  it,  that  is,  one  proposition,  whether  affirmative  or  nega- 
tive, the  truth  of  which  it  is  the  scope  of  the  whole  discourse 
to  evince.  Suppose  a preacher  should,  (in  order  to  guard  his 
people  against  some  apparent  danger  of  seduction  ; for,  with- 
out some  special  reason  of  this  sort  controversy  is  not  eligible 
in  the  pulpit,)  judge  it  necessary  to  maintain  the  lawfulness 
of  infant-baptism ; that  which  would  constitute  his  perform- 
ance one,  is,  that  the  aim  of  the  whole  and  of  every  part, 
should  unite  in  supporting  this  position,  that  it  is  agreeable 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


441 


to  the  gospel  dispensation  that  infants  should  be  baptized. 
The  thing  might  be  illustrated  by  a thousand  other  examples; 
but  it  is  really  so  plain  in  itself,  that  I could  not  consider  it 
as  any  other  than  losing  time  to  produce  more  instances. 

In  regard  to  the  text,  the  same  qualities  are  required  here  as 
in  the  former  species,  namely  appositeness,  simplicity  and  per- 
spicuity. In  regard  to  the  first  of  these,  the  appositeness,  let  it 
be  remarked  here  by  the  way,  that  it  is  not  possible  to  find,  on 
every  subject,  a text  that  has  this  quality  in  an  equal  degree. 
On  some  articles  the  declarations  of  Scripture  are  more  ex- 
plicit and  direct;  on  others,  not  less  certain  even  from  Scrip- 
ture, the  evidences  at  least  in  regard  to  the  mode  of  expres- 
sion are  more  implicit  and  indirect.  I may  observe  also  that 
we  are  not  to  understand  this  quality  of  apposite  so  strictly, 
as  to  suppose  that  by  the  text  we  should  discover  whether  the 
intended  sermon  is  to  be  explanatory  or  controversial.  This 
is  hardly  ever  to  be  expected.  The  text  John  4:  24,  God 
is  a spirit,’’  is  simple,  perspicuous  and  apposite,  either  for  an 
explanatory  discourse,  on  the  nature  of  the  Divine  spirituali- 
ty, or  for  a controversial  discourse,  whose  aim  is  to  evince 
the  spirituality  of  God.  Nay,  in  a course  of  preaching  on 
points,  which  may  be  controverted,  this  method,  especially 
by  a pastor  in  his  own  parish,  is  sometimes  not  improperly 
adopted.  His  division  of  the  subject  accordingly,  when  he 
first  enters  on  it,  may  be  this ; first,  to  explain  the  doctrine 
of  his  text  whatever  it  be ; secondly  to  evince  the  truth  of 
that  doctrine.  As,  however,  the  tenor  of  these  two  different 
parts,  from  the  nature  of  the  composition  fitted  to  each,  is 
very  different,  it  is  commonly  better  to  disjoin  them,  so  far 
as  to  make  separate  discourses  of  them,  though  from  the  same 
passage  of  sacred  writ;  the  explanation  being  the  subject  of 
the  first,  and  the  proof  being  the  subject  of  that  which  imme- 
diately succeeds.  But  when  the  explanatory  part  may  with 
sufficient  distinctness  be  despatched  in  a few  sentences,  I 
should  admit  that  both  parts  may  conveniently  enough,  and 
without  violating  the  unity  of  design,  be  comprised  in  the 
same  discourse.  Something  extremely  similar  we  find  to 
have  taken  place  sometimes  in  the  judiciary  pleadings  of  the 
ancients,  which  I observed  to  have  an  analogy,  in  point  of 
form,  to  controversial  sermons.  When  the  law  was  either 
obscure  or  complex,  a separate  explanation  of  the  statute  was 
made  to  precede  the  arguments  either  for,  or  against  the  ac- 
cused. And  we  can  easily  perceive  the  expediency  of  this 


442 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


method  for  throwing  light  upon  the  proof,  and  assisting  the 
hearers  in  discerning  the  justness  of  the  reasoning.  A simi- 
lar manner  we  find  recommended  by  the  example  of  some  of 
the  best  preachers,  both  in  French  and  in  English. 

In  the  controversial  sermon,  after  the  exordium  and  brief 
explanation  of  the  text  and  context  where  necessary,  the  point 
of  doctrine  to  be  either  supported  or  refuted,  ought  to  be  as 
distinctly,  perspicuously  and  briefly  as  possible  proposed,  and 
then  the  method  ought  to  be  laid  down  in  which  you  intend 
to  manage  the  argument.  This  method  on  different  ques- 
tions will  be  very  different.  When  a controverted  point  is 
simple  in  its  nature,  and  when  there  is  only  one  opposing 
sentiment,  which  the  preacher  has  to  refute,  the  most  com- 
mon, and  indeed  the  most  natural  method  he  can  take  will 
be,  first,  to  refute  the  arguments  of  the  adversary ; and  sec- 
ondly, to  support  his  own  doctrine  by  proper  proofs.  On  the 
first,  his  acquaintance  with  the  adversary’s  plea  must  serve 
for  a directory  as  to  the  method  wherein  he  should  proceed. 
Only  let  it  be  observed  in  general,  that  where  one  means 
honestly  to  defend  truth  and  to  detect  error,  he  will  ever  find 
his  account  in  employing  the  most  plain  and  unequivocal  ex- 
pressions, and  in  exposing  the  ambiguities  and  indefinite 
terms,  in  which  it  often  happens  that  the  sophistry  of  the  ad- 
verse party  lies  concealed.  Some  of  our  theological  disputes 
and  even  some  of  those  which  have  created  the  greatest  fer- 
ments and  most  lasting  animosities  among  Christians,  are 
merely  verbal.  These,  as  much  as  possible,  ought  to  be 
avoided.  Others,  in  which  there  is  a real  difference  in  opin- 
ion, as  well  as  in  expression,  in  the  different  sides,  have  nev- 
ertheless given  rise  to  a deal  of  logomachy  in  the  manner 
wherein  they  have  been  managed.  In  most  questions,  what  is 
of  real  weight  in  the  way  of  argument  on  the  opposite  sides 
might  be  reduced  to  a very  small  compass.  It  will  well  be- 
come the  assertor  of  truth,  whose  cause  has  the  greater  ad- 
vantage, the  stronger  the  light  be  into  which  he  brings  it,  to 
endeavor,  by  clearing  off  the  rubbish  of  mere  cavils,  ambigu- 
ous and  indefinite  words  and  phrases,  to  convey  plain  and 
determinate  ideas  to  the  hearers,  and  thus  as  much  as  possible 
to  simplify  the  question.  Then  let  him  discuss  severally, 
what  is  thought  to  be  of  most  moment  on  the  adverse  side, 
avoiding  to  tire  his  hearers  with  too  curious  a minuteness  of 
investigation,  or  to  perplex  himself  with  a needless  multiplic- 
ity of  topics.  Another  error  in  disputation,  which  is  by  far 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


443 


too  common,  is  when  one  will  admit  nothing  in  the  plea  or 
arguments  of  an  adversary  to  be  of  the  smallest  weight. 
That  they  have  no  weight  may  be  the  case  sometimes,  but  it 
is  not  always  so.  And  this  extreme  will  ever,  with  the  more 
judicious,  savor  either  of  blind  zeal  in  the  preacher,  or  of  a 
total  want  of  candor,  which  will  rather  create  a prejudice 
against  the  speaker  in  the  minds  of  those  who  are  intelligent 
and  sensible,  that  he  does  not  justice  to  the  other  side,  than 
incline  them  to  give  a favorable  reception  to  his  arguments. 
It  gives,  besides,  an  appearance  to  the  debate  which  savors 
much  more  of  proceeding  from  a mind  ambitious  of  the  glory 
of  victory,  than  concerned  for  the  interests  of  truth.  I have 
heard  a disputant  of  this  stamp,  in  defiance  of  etymology  and 
use,  maintain  that  the  word  rendered  in  the  New  Testament 
baptize,  means  more  properly  to  sprinkle  than  to  plunge,  and, 
in  defiance  of  all  antiquity,  that  the  former  method  was  the 
earliest,  and,  for  many  centuries,  the  most  general  practice 
in  baptizing.  One  who  argues  in  this  manner  never  fails, 
with  persons  of  knowledge,  to  betray  the  cause  he  would  de- 
fend ; and  though  with  respect  to  the  vulgar,  bold  assertions 
generally  succeed  as  well  as  arguments,  sometimes  better, 
yet  a candid  mind  will  disdain  to  take  the  help  of  a falsehood, 
even  in  support  of  the  truth. 

After  discussing  the  adversary’s  plea,  it  will  be  proper  in 
the  second  place  to  enter  on  the  proofs.  If  the  point  under 
examination,  is  knowable  by  the  light  of  nature,  as  if  it  re- 
gard the  being  and  perfections  of  God,  or  the  great  obliga- 
tions of  morality,  one  topic  of  argument  may  not  improperly 
be  taken  from  the  discoveries  of  natural  reason,  and  on  some 
points,  like  that  of  a future  state  of  retribution,  even  the  uni- 
versal consent  of  mankind,  and  the  earliest  traditions,  that 
have  as  yet  been  traced  in  any  country,  may  not  implausibly 
be  pleaded.  Sometimes  ecclesiastical  history  will  furnish  a 
head  of  argument.  This  happens  especially  when  the  ques- 
tion relates  to  any  usages  or  ceremonies  that  have  obtained, 
or  to  the  manner  of  celebrating  any  of  the  positive  institu- 
tions. But  the  principal  foundation  of  argument  for  the 
preacher  will  always  be  the  sacred  Scripture.  This  is  true 
whatever  be  the  controverted  doctrine,  since  in  order  to  en- 
title it  to  a discussion  from  the  pulpit,  it  ought  to  be  a doc- 
trine in  which  the  faith  or  morals  of  a Christian  are  concern- 
ed. If  the  tenet  maintained  be  purely  a point  of  revelation, 
the  Scripture  is  in  a manner  the  preacher’s  only  ground,  on 


444 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOaUENCE. 


which  his  reasonings  can  be  built.  From  this  also  different 
topics  of  argument  may  be  raised,  either  from  different  pas- 
sages, or  from  the  different  lights  in  which  it  is  in  holy  writ 
exhibited,  as  suits  the  nature  of  the  subject. 

In  arguing  from  the  divine  oracles,  great  care  ought  to  be 
taken  that  we  quote  and  interpret  them  candidly ; in  other 
words,  that  we  give  always  what,  according  to  the  best  of  our 
judgment,  is  the  real  sense  of  the  sacred  author.  Preachers, 
I know,  will  sometimes  make  a very  plausible  appearance  of 
supporting  their  side  of  the  question  by  a passage  of  Scripture, 
which  in  the  detached  way  wherein  they  quote  it,  appears 
very  favorable,  but  which,  taken  in  connection  with  its  con- 
text, means  something  totally  distinct.  For  my  own  part, 
were  the  doctrine  meant  to  be  defended  ever  so  truly  a Scrip- 
tural doctrine,  I could  not  approve  an  attempt  to  support  it 
by  such  a misapplication  of  holy  writ,  and  consequently  by 
misleading  the  hearers  in  regard  to  the  sense  of  particular 
portions  of  Scripture.  This  is  like  bringing  people  to  sub- 
mission to  magistracy,  by  perverting  the  sense  of  the  law ; 
and  though  a person  may  be  fighting  in  a good  cause,  one, 
who  takes  this  method,  fights  with  illicit  weapons.  If  it  be 
safer  to  be  under  God’s  direction,  than  under  any  man’s,  it 
must  be  safer  to  exhibit  to  the  people  the  sense  of  the  sacred 
oracles  purely  and  candidly,  leaving  it  to  them  to  form  the 
conclusions  and  make  the  application.  This  I take  to  be 
preaching  not  ourselves,  but  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  and  our- 
selves the  people’s  servants  for  Jesus’s  sake.  The  contrary 
method  is  indeed  preaching  ourselves,  it  is  abounding  in  our 
own  sense,  and  even  wresting  the  word  of  Christ  to  render 
it  subservient  to  our  opinions.  I would  not  by  any  means, 
however,  be  understood  to  pass  so  severe  a censure  on  the 
misapplication  of  a passage  of  Scripture  arising  from  a mis- 
take of  the  sense,  a thing  to  which  the  wisest  and  the  best 
are  liable,  but  only  on  an  intended  misrepresentation  of  the 
true  meaning,  in  order  to  make  it  serve  as  evidence  of  a point 
we  are  maintaining.  That  I may  be  better  understood  in  the 
aim  of  this  remark,  I shall  produce  an  example  in  the  way  of 
illustration.  In  support  of  this  doctrine,  that  whatever  is 
done  by  unbelievers,  even  those  actions  which  are  commonly 
accounted  most  laudable  and  virtuous,  are  of  the  nature  of 
sin;  it  has  been  sometimes  very  gravely  and  very  confident- 
ly urged,  that  the  apostle  says  expressly  Rom.  14:  23,  What- 
soever is  not  of  faith  is  sin.”  Yet  this  expression,  (however 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


445 


apposite  it  may  appear,  when  cut  off  from  the  passage  with 
which  it  stands  connected),  has  not  the  remotest  relation  to 
that  famous  question.  When  recourse  is  had  to  the  apostle 
himself,  and  the  occasion  of  the  affirmation,  we  find  it  is 
brought  in  the  conclusion  of  his  reasoning,  in  regard  to  a 
point  much  disputed  in  that  early  age  of  the  church,  the  ob^ 
servance  of  a distinction  in  meats  and  days.  And  though 
the  apostle  explicitly  declares  his  own  conviction,  that  no  kind 
of  meat  is  in  a religious  view  unclean  of  itself,  yet  he  is 
equally  clear,  that  to  him  who  esteemeth  anything  to  be  un- 
clean, to  him  it  is  unclean,  because  he  believes  it  to  be  so. 
Hence  he  justly  concludes,  that  he  who  doubteth  is  liable  to 
condemnation,  if  he  eat;  because  he  acts  against  the  dic- 
tates of  his  conscience,  even  though  a misinformed  conscience, 
he  himself  not  believing  that  he  does  right,  ‘‘*for,’’  he  adds, 
“ whatever  is  not  of  faith  is  sin whateTer  action  is  not 
accompanied  with  a belief  of  its  lawfulness,  is  so  far  criminal,, 
as  it  shows  in  him  who  commits  it  a presumptuous  dispo- 
sition to  violate  the  rights  of  conscience.  But  this  has  not 
the  least  reference  to  the  belief  of  the  principles,  tenets  or  doc- 
trines of  Christianity,  but  merely  of  the  lawfulness  or  un- 
lawfulness of  certain  actions.  It  deserves  also  to  be  re- 
marked, that,  in  the  matter  discussed  by  the  apostle,  it  is  of 
no  consequence,  for  rendering  the  action  virtuous  or  vicious, 
whether  the  things  believed  be  true  or  false  ; but  barely  that 
they  be  believed,  and  that  our  practice  be  conformable  to  our 
belief.  To  act  against  conviction  or  belief,  he  tells  us,  is  a 
sin,  to  forbear  acting  in  such  a case  is  a duty,  even  though 
the  thing  believed  be  a falsehood.  Nay  it  is,  in  fact,  against 
what  he  himself  acknowledgeth  to  be  an  erroneous  faith,  that 
he  declares  the  man  justly  condemnable  who  acts.  Now 
when  such  a perversion  of  the  sacred  text  as  I have  been  illus- 
trating, is  made  knowingly  by  the  speaker  against  his  better 
judgment,  it  is  without  doubt  what  the  apostle  calls  handling 
the  word  ofGod  deceitfully,”  even  though  the  sentiment,  in  sup- 
port of  which  it  is  produced,  be  a true  sentiment  and  conforma- 
ble to  the  doctrine  of  holy  writ.  There  is  a candor  and  simplici- 
ty, which  ought  ever  to  attend  the  ministry  of  religion,  not 
only  in  regard  to  the  ends  pursued,  but  in  regard  to  the 
means  employed  for  the  attainment  of  the  ends.  Castalio  in 
the  defence  of  his  Latin  translation  of  the  Bible  against  Beza, 
who  had  attacked  him  with  a virulence  which  savors  too 
much  of  what,  not  greatly  to  the  honor  of  polemic  divinity, 
38 


446 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE, 


lias  been  called  the  odium,  theologicum , amongst  other  things 
mentions  an  accusation,  for  translating  the  third  verse  of  the 
first  chapter  of  Genesis  in  this  mannery  “ Jussit  Dens  ut  exis- 
teret  lux  ut  extitit  lux/^  And  the  reason  of  Beza^s  animad- 
version is,  that  in  his  opinion,  Castalio  had  by  so  doing  sup- 
pressed an  important  argument  for  the  trinity.  ‘‘ Moses, 
says  Beza,  “ purposely  used  the  verb  amar,  saidy  that  he 
might  indicate  another  person  in  the  Godhead  distinct  from 
the  person  of  the  Father,  and  from  the  person  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  namely,  the  Son  of  God,  by  whom  the  whole  series  of 
creation  was  enunciated.  The  evangelist  John,  taking  oc- 
casion hence,  calls  him  loyog  the  word,  and  proves  him  to 
be  God,  and  to  have  been  in  the  beginning  with  God.  But 
this  man  (meaning  Castalio),  excluding  the  verb  said,  in 
which  the  greatest  moment  and  principal  weight  is  placed, 
expresses  only  in  his  version  the  signification  of  the  verb  ihi, 
Jiat”  Thus  far  Beza ; in  which  remark,  if  he  was  sincere, 
as  we  are  bound  in  charity  to  believe,  it  is  impossible,  what- 
ever his  erudition  and  other  talents  might  be,  to  think  other- 
wise than  meanly  of  his  skill  in  criticism.  I own  at  the  same 
time  that  I like  the  common  translation,  Dixit  Deus,  Fiat 
lux,  et  facta  est  lux,  much  better  than  Castalio's,  and  that, 
not  indeed  for  Beza’s  reason,  which  is  no  reason  at  all,  but 
merely  because  it  is  more  conformable  to  the  simplicity  and 
dignity  of  the  original.  Castalio^s  answer  to  the  above 
charge,  though  it  would  perhaps  be  thought  too  ludicrous  for 
the  seriousness  of  the  subject,  justly  exposes  the  absurdity  of 
his  antagonist.  ‘‘  Haec  sunt  illius  verba,  quibus  nihilo  aptius 
argumentatur,  quam  si  quis  ita  dicat ; Moses  in  ilHs  verbis, 
Dixit  serpens  feminae,  cur  vohis  dixit  Deus,  etc.  data  opera 
usus  est  verbo  amar,  dixit,  ut  alteram  in  diabolo  personam 
distinctam  a persona  patris,  et  a persona  spiritus  impuri, 
nempe  filium  diaboli  insigniret ; nam  certe  simillima  est 
locutio.’’  He  subjoins  this  sentiment,  in  which  every  lover  of 
truth  will  cordially  agree  with  him.  “ Ego  veritatem  velim 
veris  argumentis  defendi,  non  ita  ridiculis,  quibus  deridenda 
propinetur  adversariis.^’  How  much  more  modest,  in  this 
respect,  was  Calvin,  whose  zeal  for  the  doctrine  will  not  be 
questioned,  than  either  Beza  or  Luther  ? This  last  had  ex- 
claimed with  great  vehemence  against  both  Jews  and  anti- 
trinitarians,  for  not  admitting  that  in  these  words,  in  the  first 
verse  of  Genesis,  God  created,  bara  Eloliim,  there  is  contain- 
ed a proof  of  the  trinity,  because  the  noun  signifying  God 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE, 


447 


in  the  Hebrew  has  a plural  form,  though  joined  to  a verb  in 
the  singular.  Calvin  on  the  contrary  refutes  this  argument 
or  quibble  rather,  at  some  length,  nnd  adds  judiciously,  speak- 
ing of  this  expression,  “Monendi  sunt  lectores  ut  sibi  a vio- 
lentis  ejusmodi  glossis  caveant.’’  I remember  once  to  have 
heard  a sort  of  lecture,  on  the  miraculous  cure  of  Bartimeus’s 
blindness  from  perhaps  the  most  popular  preacher,  I cannot 
add  the  most  judicious,  that  has  appeared  in  this  island  in 
the  present  century.  From  these  words  of  the  blind  man, 
addressed  to  Jesus,  who  had  asked  him  what  he  would  have 
done  for  him,  Lord,  that  I may  receive  my  sight,’’  the 
preacher  inferred  not  only  the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ,  but 
Bartimeus’s  faith  in  this  article.  He  could  not,”  said  he, 
‘Miave  given  him  the  appellation  Lore/,  had  he  not 

believed  him  to  be  God.”  And  yet  Mary  gave  the  same  ap- 
pellation, KvqiSj  to  Jesus,  when  she  took  him  for  no  higher 
person  than  a gardener.  The  same  appellation  was  given  by 
the  jailer  to  Paul  and  Silas,  the  prisoners  under  his  care, 
KvQioi.  In  the  first  of  these  places  our  translators  have 
rightly  rendered  it  Sir;  in  the  second.  Sirs.  Indeed  it  is 
notorious,  that  both  in  the  Greek  version  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment and  in  the  New,  the  word  like  Dominus  in  Latin,  or 
Signore  in  Italian,  is  applied  indiscriminately,  as  a term  of 
respect  to  God  or  to  man.  I own  I could  not  help  conclud- 
ing in  my  own  mind  from  the  remark.  Either  you  must  be  ex- 
ceedingly ignorant  in  regard  to  the  book  you  pretend  to  ex- 
plain, or  you  treat  sacred  writ  with  a freedom  and  artifice, 
that  suits  better  the  subtlety  of  the  Jesuit,  than  the  sincerity 
of  the  Christian  divine.  If  a man  wanted  to  render  truth 
suspicious  to  people  of  discernment,  I know  no  better  way 
he  could  take,  than  to  recur  to  such  cavils  in  order  to  sup- 
port it 

But  to  return  to  the  method  of  treating  the  proofs,  from 
which  I am  afraid  I shall  be  thought  to  have  digressed  too 
long.  I observed  on  entering  on  this  article,  that  when  the 
controversy  is  reducible  to  one  simple  point,  and  when  there 
is  only  one  opposing  sentiment  to  be  refuted,  the  preacher 
might  make  the  refutation  of  objections  the  first  head  of  dis- 
course, and  the  defence  of  the  doctrine  proposed  the  second. 
And  if  nothing  can  be  said,  in  refutation,  but  what  will  nat- 
urally find  a place  in  treating  his  argument,  there  is  no  ne- 
cessity that  the  discourse  should  be  divided  into  separate 
. heads.  One  conclusive  argument  in  many  cases,  is  as  good 


448 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


as  a great  number ; for  every  part  does  not  admit  variety. 
Nor  ought  a division  into  different  heads  to  be  considered  as 
a thing  indispensable.  Sometimes  indeed  when  there  is  but 
one  argument,  it  will  very  properly  admit  a division,  as  the 
conclusion  rests  on  two  propositions  called  premises ; when 
neither  of  these  can  be  said  to  he  self-evident,  it  may  he 
made  the  subject  of  the  first  head,  to  support  one  of  the 
premises,  and  of  the  second,  to  support  the  other.  I shall 
borrow  an  instance  from  a late  attempt  of  my  own  in  this 
way,  as  no  other  at  present  occurs  to  my  memory.  The  de- 
sign was  to  evince  the  divinity  of  our  religion  from  the  suc- 
cess of  its  first  publishers.  The  argument  stood  thus.  “ First, 
the  natural  means  originally  employed  in  propagating  the 
gospel  were  utterly  inadequate,  and  must  have  proved  inef- 
fectual, if  unaccompanied  with  the  divine  interposition. 
Secondly,  the  means  employed  were,  however,  eminently  ef- 
fectual beyond  all  example  before  or  since.  Consequently 
they  were  accompanied  with  a divine  interposition,  and  our 
religion  is  of  God.’’  But  every  argument  does  not  admit 
this  division  ; for  often  one  of  the  premises  is  either  self-evi- 
dent, or  which  amounts  to  the  same,  received  by  those 
against  whom  we  argue.  On  the  contrary,  when  the  subject 
is  complex  and  the  opinions  of  the  adversaries  various,  it  will 
be  better  not  to  make  a separate  head  of  refutation,  for  where 
there  are  many  jarring  sentiments  to  be  set  aside  there  is  a 
danger  of  distracting  the  mind  by  multiplicity.  Let  the  truth 
be  defended  by  arguments  distinctly  explained  and  enforced, 
and  in  doing  this,  especially  when  the  topics  are  drawn  from 
holy  writ,  occasion  may  be  taken  of  refuting  the  contradic- 
tory glosses  or  expositions  of  the  opponents  as  you  proceed. 
In  this  the  preacher  ought  to  consult  carefully,  what  will  give 
most  simplicity  and  perspicuity  to  his  reasoning.  Further, 
a question  is  sometimes  capable  of  being  divided  into  two  or 
more,  distinct  though  intimately  related  questions.  In  that 
case  the  heads  of  discourse  may  be  the  examination  of  each. 
When  the  arguments  are  numerous,  it  is  better  to  class  them 
under  a few  general  heads  or  topics  for  the  sake  of  memory, 
as  those  from  reason,  those  from  Scripture,  and  the  like. 

As  to  the  arrangement  of  the  arguments,  there  may  some- 
Jtimes  be  in  them  a natural  order,  as  when  a right  apprehen- 
sion of  one  is  previously  necessary  to  the  full  conception  of 
another.  When  they  are  not  of  this  kind,  the  speaker  ought 
to  consider  the  disposition  of  his  hearers.  If  their  prejudices 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


449 


rather  oppose  his  doctrine,  he  would  need  to  begin  with  what 
he  thinks  will  have  the  greatest  weight  with  them,  lest  other- 
Avise,  by  introducing  the  debate  with  what  they  shall  think 
frivolous,  he  should  disgust  them  in  the  entry,  and  avert  their 
attention  from  what  he  has  further  to  offer.  In  general, 
rhetoricians  have  recommended  to  begin  and  end  with  the 
strongest  arguments,  and  throw  the  weakest  into  the  middle. 
It  is  as  important,  that  you  should  leave  a good  impression 
on  their  minds  in  ending  the  debate,  as  that  you  should  be- 
speak their  favorable  attention  by  what  is  of  consequence  in 
the  beginning.  They  Avould  have  the  orator  act,  in  this  re- 
spect, like  the  experienced  commander,  who  puts  his  weakest 
troops  into  the  middle ; for  though  he  has  not  the  same  de- 
pendence on  them,  as  on  those  in  the  front  and  the  rear,  he 
knows  they  are  of  some  use  by  their  number,  and  add  to  the 
formidable  appearance  of  his  army. 

The  conclusion,  here,  may  very  properly  be  introduced  by 
an  abstract  or  recapitulation  of  the  argument,  followed  with 
a suitable  improvement  of  the  doctrine  proved.  There  does 
not  seem  to  be  any  material  difference,  in  what  constitutes  a 
fit  conclusion  to  an  explanatory  discourse,  from  what  would 
suit  a controversial  one.  Doctrine  is  the  general  subject  of 
both  discourses.  In  the  one  it  is  explained,  in  the  other  it 
is  proved.  The  direct  aim  of  the  first  is  knowledge,  but 
then  the  conviction  or  belief  is  taken  for  granted.  The  di- 
rect aim  of  the  second  is  conviction.  In  both,  the  proper 
application  is  the  influence  which  the  knowledge  and  belief 
of  such  a truth  ought  to  have  on  our  dispositions,  and  on 
our  practice.  Perhaps  in  the  conclusion  of  controversial  dis- 
cussions, it  might  not  be  amiss  to  offer  some  observations 
with  a view  to  moderate  the  unchristian  animosities,  which 
differences  on  these  articles  sometimes  occasion  among  those, 
Avho  all  profess  themselves  to  be  the  disciples  of  the  same 
Master,  and  to  show  in  general  that  error  is  more  properly  a 
ground  of  pity  than  of  indignation. 


38^ 


450 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


LECTURE  XI. 

OF  C^MENDATORY  DISCOURSES,  OR  THOSE  ADDRESSED 

# TO  THE  IMAGINATION. 

/We  have  now  discussed  the  discourses  addressed  to  the 
understanding,  those  two  especially,  the  explanatory,  whose 
•end  is  information  by  dispelling  ignorance,  and  the  contro- 
versial, whose  end  is  conviction  by  vanquishing  doubt  or 
errqr,^  I come  now  to  that  species  which  is  addressed  to  the 
iiSagiHalion.  For  as  one  way  and  indeed  a very  powerful 
way,  of  recommending  religion  is  by  example,  it  must  be 
■conducive  to  the  general  end  of  preaching  above  mentioned, 
to  make  it  sometimes  the  scope  of  a sermon,  to  exhibit  prop- 
erly any  known  good  character  of  a person  now  deceased  by 
giving  a lively  narrative  of  his  life,  or  of  any  signal  period  of 
his  life,  or  an  account  of  any  particular  virtue,  as  illustrated 
through  the  different  periods  of  his  life.  For  performances 
of  this  kind,  the  history  of  our  Lord  affords  the  richest  fund 
of  matter.  In  like  manner,  the  lives  of  the  saints  recorded 
in  Scripture,  the  patriarchs,  the  prophets,  the  apostles  and 
the  martyrs,  such  at  least  with  which,  from  the  accounts 
given  in  holy  writ,  we  have  it  in  our  power  to  be  acquainted, 
make  very  proper  subjects.  Add  to  these,  deceased  persons 
eminent  for  virtue  and  piety,  whose  characters  are  well 
Lnown  to  the  people  addressed.  Panegyrics  of  this  kind  on 
departed  friends  were  more  in  use  formerly,  and  commonly 
distinguished  by  the  name  of  funeral  orations.  As  praise  of 
this  kind  was  however  sometimes  prostituted,  and  as  the 
usage  itself  in  certain  circumstances  exposed  the  preacher  to 
the  temptation  of  making  a sacrifice  of  truth  from  motives  of 
interest,  it  is  perhaps,  upon  the  whole,  no  disadvantage  to 
the  ministerial  character,  that  the  practice  is  in  this  country 
almost  entirely  laid  aside,  and  that  we  are  now  very  much 
confined  in  this  respect  to  the  examples  which  the  sacred 
canon  presents  us  with.  Now  to  do  justice  to  the  respecta- 
ble qualities  and  worthy  actions  of  the  good,  is  to  present  the 
audience  with  a beauteous  and  animated  pattern  of  Christian 
excellence,  which,  by  operating  on  their  admiration  and  love, 
raiseth  in  their  minds  a pious  emulation.  That  we  are,  with- 
out attending  to  it,  induced  to  imitate  what  we  admire  and 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


451 


love,  will  not  admit  a question.  It  might  not  want  its  use, 
though  Scripture  hath  not  afforded  here  so  large  foundation 
or  so  ample  materials,  to  delineate  sometimes,  in  proper  colors, 
the  conduct  of  the  vicious  with  its  natural  consequences,  in 
order  to  excite  a proper  degree  of  horror  and  detestation 
against  vice.  But  this,  it  must  be  owned,  would  require  to 
be  handled  still  more  tenderly.  It  is  our  duty  to  love  and 
esteem  the  virtuous,  but  not  to  hate  and  abhor  the  vicious. 
Our  hatred  and  abhorrence  ought  to  be  pointed  only  against 
vice,  but  not  against  the  persons  addicted  to  it,  whom,  in 
pity,  we  ought  rather  to  study  to  reclaim.  And  though  the 
individuals  themselves  should  be  dead,  and  consequently  in 
this  respect  beyond  our  power,  whatever  bears  the  odious 
appearance  of  calumny  and  personal  invective  is  quite  unbe- 
coming the  pulpit.  Exhibitions  in  either  way  from  the  pulpit 
form  that  species  of  discourses,  which  falls  under  the  third 
class  above  enumerated.  They  are  addressed  to  the  fancy, 
and  their  scope  is  to  promote  piety  and  virtue  by  insinuation, 
that  is,  by  the  gentle  but  efficacious  influence  of  example. 
Discourses  of  this  kind  were  distinguished  among  the  an- 
cients by  the  name  demonstrative ; but  as  that  word  in  our 
language  is  rather  equivocal,  I have  chosen  to  denominate 
them,  commendatory , from  the  purpose  to  which  they  are  most 
commonly  applied. 

In  regard  to  the  choice  of  a text,  as  there  is  here  some- 
times greater  difficulty  of  uniting  all  the  qualities  which  were 
formerly  mentioned,  as  characteristical  of  a proper  text, 
greater  indulgence  must  be  given.  At  any  rate,  let  it  be 
perspicuous  and  expressive  of  the  happiness  or  amiableness 
of  a well  spent  life,  or  of  those  virtues  which  the  discourse 
itself  will  give  principal  scope  for  extolling.  An  apposite- 
ness to  the  individual  person  who  is  the  subject  of  the  ser- 
mon, when  it  is  a funeral  oration,  cannot  be  had,  and  there- 
fore^  an  appositeness  to  the  character  is  all  that  can  be 
sought.  When  the  person,  who  is  the  subject,  is  one  of  the 
Scripture  saints,  it  is  better  to  choose  for  a text  some  passage, 
wherein  he  in  particular  is  spoken  of.  As  to  the  introduc- 
tion or  exordium,  there  does  not  seem  to  be  anything  very 
special  requisite  in  this  kind.  The  common  qualities  that 
ought  to  affect  introductions  in  general  have  equally  place 
here.  They  should  be  calculated  to  render  the  hearers  at- 
tentive, docile  and  benevolent. 

With  regard  to  the  explanation  of  the  text  and  context, 


452 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


unless  they  could  in  some  way  contribute  to  the  illustration 
of  the  character,  which  is  the  subject  of  the  eulogy,  it  were 
better  not  to  attempt  it.  If  the  text  be  sufficiently  perspicu- 
ous and  apposite,  there  can  be  no  necessity  ; and  there  is  no 
sort  of  discourse  to  which  anything,  that  has  the  remotest 
appearance  of  verbal  criticism  is  worse  adapted  than  to  this. 
The  design  of  the  sermon  should  be  proposed  with  simplici- 
ty and  distinctness.  One  may  add  the  mention  of  the 
method,  in  which  it  may  be  thought  proper  to  prosecute  the 
subject,  unless  it  shall  appear  to  be  so  simple  and  natural  as 
to  render  even  the  bare  intimation  of  it  superfluous. 

As  to  the  method  in  which  the  different  parts  should  be 
digested  and  arranged,  that  may  be  different  as  suits  the  par- 
ticular taste  and  talents  of  the  speaker,  or  as  suits  best  the 
materials  he  hath  to  work  upon.  All  the  methods  that  occur 
to  me  for  treating  subjects  of  this  kind,  may  be  reduced  to 
the  three  following.  First,  the  order  of  time  may  be  follow- 
ed. This  method  I shall  call  the  historical.  If  this  be  the 
disposition  adopted,  there  can  be  no  question  as  to  what 
should  precede  and  what  should  succeed  in  the  discourse.  If 
there  be  much  ground  to  go  upon,  it  may  not  be  amiss,  for 
the  ease  of  the  memory,  to  divide  the  life  you  are  to  recom- 
mend as  a pattern,  into  certain  distinct  periods,  proposing  to 
consider  each  severally  in  its  order.  If  the  materials  you  are 
supplied  with  for  this  purpose  are  not  very  plentiful,  or  if, 
whatever  has  been  remarkable  in  the  person’s  life  which  can 
be  of  any  service  to  you,  is  comprised  within  a narrow  com- 
pass of  time,  it  will  be  better  to  follow  the  natural  order  with- 
out using  the  formality  of  proposing  it  to  the  hearers,  or  di- 
viding the  discourse  into  separate  heads,  for  this  ought  never 
to  be  considered  as  absolutely  necessary.  The  second  meth- 
od of  arrangement  is,  by  considering  separately  the  most  emi- 
nent virtues  displayed  in  the  life  you  propose  to  recommend 
to  the  admiration  of  your  hearers.  This  I shall  call  the 
logical  method.  Suppose  the  subject,  for  example,  were  the 
liffi  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  one  were  inclined  to  divide  the  vir- 
tues thereby  illustrated  into  three  classes,  those  which  have 
self  for  the  immediate  object,  those  which  have  other  men, 
and  those  which  have  God.  The  greatest  objection  I know 
of,  that  lies  against  this  method  is,  that  it  generally  occasions 
frequent  recurring  to  the  same  actions  and  events,  in  which 
different  virtues  may  have  been  illustrated.  This,  unless 
managed  very  dexterously,  will  have  the  appearance  of  tire- 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


453 


some  repetitions.  But  to  return  to  the  example  given  of  the 
life  of  Christ.  Each  of  the  heads  above  named  may  be  il- 
lustrated tlirough  all  the  different  periods  of  his  life,  or  they 
may  be  subdivided  into  inferior  branches.  For  example,  the 
first  of  these,  the  duties  a man  owes  to  himself,  may  be  un- 
derstood to  imply  the  virtues  of  humility,  temperance  and 
fortitude;  humility  or  a superiority  to  pride  and  vanity,  tem- 
perance or  a superiority  to  appetite,  and  fortitude  or  a supe- 
riority to  fear.  But  such  subdivisions  are  not  often  con- 
venient, inasmuch  as  they  commonly  tend  more  to  burden 
than  to  assist  the  memory.  If  the  preacher  were  to  make 
one  of  the  general  heads  only,  the  whole  subject  of  one  dis- 
course, such  a division  of  that  head  would  be  very  proper. 
But  if  the  whole  example  of  Christ  is  the  subject  of  a single 
discourse,  the  case  is  very  different.  Subdivisions  for  the 
greater  part  ought  to  be  avoided.  The  sort  of  discourse,  to 
which  they  seem  most  adapted,  is  the  explanatory,  whose 
principal  excellence  appears  to  be  in  perspicuity  and  pre- 
cision. Let  it  be  observed,  however,  that  the  method  im- 
plied in  a subdivision  may  often  be  conveniently  followed, 
when  it  is  not  in  so  many  words  proposed.  A third  method, 
that  may  be  employed  in  panegyrical  discourses,  as  when  two 
or  three  memorable  events  or  actions  are  the  sole  fund,  from 
which  all  the  materials  employed  by  the  encomiast  must  be 
derived,  is  to  illustrate  the  virtues  displayed  in  the  person’s 
conduct,  on  these  several  occasions,  as  the  separate  heads  of 
discourse.  And  this  method  may,  for  distinction’s  sake  be 
denominated  the  dramatical.  As  to  the  manner  of  prosecut- 
ing the  design  through  all  its  different  branches,  I do  not  in- 
tend to  enter  into  particulars.  It  is  not  my  purpose  to  give 
a full  institute  of  eloquence,  but  only  to  apply  to  the  pulpit,  as 
far  as  they  are  applicable,  the  general  rules  laid  down  by  the 
ancients,  referring  you  to  their  writings  for  the  illustration, 
and  particularly  to  remark  to  you  the  differences  which  the 
very  different  nature  of  the  subject,  of  the  occasion,  of  the 
end,  of  the  character  to  be  supported  by  the  speaker,  and  of 
the  character  of  the  audience,  should  give  rise  to.  Now  it 
must  be  acknowledged,  that  no  sort  of  discourse  from  the 
pulpit  hath  so  close  a resemblance  in  respect  both  of  the  sub- 
ject and  of  the  end,  and  sometimes  also  of  the  occasion,  to 
the  judicial  and  deliberative  orations,  as  this  sort  of  encomi- 
ums hath  to  the  demonstrative  orations  of  the  ancients.  To 
their  institutes,  therefore,  I must  refer  you  for  more  particu- 


454 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


lar  information.  It  is  not  my  intention  by  these  lectures  to 
supersede  the  study  of  ancient  critics  and  orators,  but  only  to 
assist  you  in  applying  their  rules  and  examples  to  cases  so 
different  from  those  with  which  alone  they  were  concerned. 
I shall,  therefore,  in  these  discourses,  insist  chiefly  on  what  is 
different  and  peculiar  in  the  eloquence  of  the  pulpit. 

And  here,  one  of  the  first  differences  that  ofers  itself  to 
our  observation,  is,  that  the  ancients  had  a much  wider  range 
in  what  might  properly  be  made  the  subject  of  their  praises. 
Pedigree,  intellectual  abilities,  even  qualities  merely  corporeal, 
such  as  beauty,  health,  strength,  agility,  nay  those  commonly 
called  the  goods  of  fortune,  as  riches,  friends,  rank,  all  came 
in  for  a share  in  the  encomium.  I do  not  deny  that  any  of 
these  may  passingly  be  mentioned  in  a sermon,  but  it  would 
ill  become  the  dignity  of  the  sacred  function,  to  enlarge  on 
these  qualities  in  such  a manner,  as  to  seem  to  place  a merit 
in  things,  which  are  totally  independent  of  our  will,  and  of 
which  therefore  the  commendation  in  another  can  be  of  no 
service  to  a hearer  in  the  way  of  example ; but  may,  on  the 
contrary,  very  readily  do  hurt  in  teaching  him  to  place  an 
undue  value  on  things  not  in  his  power,  and  about  which,  as 
a Christian,  he  ought  not  to  have  the  least  anxiety.  Nothing, 
therefore,  must  appear  to  be  the  subject  of  panegyric  to  the 
preacher,  but  moral  excellence.  Nothing  ought  to  be  en- 
larged on  as  a topic  of  discourse,  but  what  can  properly  be 
held  up  to  the  audience  as  a subject,  which  it  is  incumbent 
on  them  to  imitate ; in  other  words,  as  the  object  of  a noble 
emulation.  I acknowledge,  that  those  other  qualities,  acci- 
dental in  respect  of  us,  as  1 may  call  them,  which  have  no 
necessary  connection  with  virtue  or  religion  and  are  only 
physically  good,  may  find  a place  in  a discourse  of  this  kind, 
when  they  are  introduced  not  for  their  own  sakes,  but,  as  it 
were,  in  passing  and  in  order  to  set  off  real  virtues.  Thus 
the  high  birth  of  the  person  you  extol,  may  be  mentioned  in 
order  to  add  the  greater  lustre  to  his  humility  ; his  riches 
may  be  taken  notice  of  by  the  way,  in  order  to  show  bow 
well  he  understood  the  proper  use  of  wealth,  and  in  order  to 
set  off  to  the  greater  advantage  how  moderate  he  was  in  re- 
gard to  gratifications  merely  personal,  and  how  liberal  and 
charitable  in  supplying  the  wants  and  contributing  to  the  ac- 
commodation and  comfort  of  others.  It  will  be  easily  under- 
stood, that  in  the  same  way  almost  every  such  advantage  of 
person  or  fortune  may  be  introduced.  This  would  not  be  to 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


455 


exhibit  wealth  or  nobleness  of  birth,  as  an  object  calculated 
to  excite  the  ambition  of  the  hearers,  a thing  exceedingly  ab- 
surd in  any,  but  more  especially  in  the  preacher  of  the  humble 
religion  of  Jesus;  but  it  would  be  to  give  an  instructive 
lesson  to  the  rich  and  noble^  in  regard  to  the  use  they  ought 
to  make  of  these  advantages.  It  must  be  owned  on  the  other 
hand,  that  qualities  physically  bad  may  be  rendered  instru- 
mental for  the  same  purpose  ol'  giving  higher  relief  to  the 
virtues  of  the  character.  Thus  the  poverty  of  the  person  may 
serve  greatly  to  enhance  and  recommend  his  patience,  his 
contentment,  his  resignation,  his  prudence,  his  economy,  nay 
even  his  charity  and  beneficence.  In  like  manner,  low  birth 
and  want  of  education  may  be  made  subservient  to  display  to 
more  advantage  the  industry  and  application  of  mind,  which 
could  surmount  these  signal  disadvantages  so  perfectly,  that 
the  defect  could  never  have  been  discovered  from  his  beha- 
vior and  conversation.  And  of  this  kind  w^e  should  say,  as 
of  the  former,  it  is  not  recommending  poverty  and  inferiority 
in  point  of  birth  to  our  estimation,  but  it  is  exhibiting  a pat- 
tern to  the  poor  and  ignoble,  whereby  they  may  be  instructed 
how  to  convert  such  apparent  evils  into  real  occasions  of  im- 
proving their  virtues,  and  of  rendering  these  more  than  a 
sufficient  compensation  for  every  want.  The  ancient  rhetor- 
icians, though  not  so  delicate  on  this  point  as  Christian  teach- 
ers ought  to  be,  were  yet  sensible  that  this  was  the  best  use 
that  could  be  made  of  fortuitous  advantages  or  disadvantages. 
Thus  duintilian,  Et  corporis  quidem,  fortuitorumque,  cum 
levior,  turn  non  uno  modo  tractanda  laus  est.  Interim  con- 
fert  admirationi  multum  etiam  infirmitas,  ut  cum  Homerus 
Tydea  parvum  sed  bellatorem  dicit  fuisse.  Fortuna  vero  cum 
dignitatem  affert  (namque  est  haec  materia  ostendendae  vir- 
tutis  uberior)  turn  quo  minores  opes  fuerunt,  eo  majorem 
benefactis  gloriam  parit.’*  The  following  sentiment  is  in- 
deed excellent,  and  well  deserves  our  attention.  ‘‘  Sed  omnia 
quae  extra  nos  bona  sunt,  quaeque  hominibus  forte  obtiger- 
unt,  non  ideo  laudantur,  quod  habuerit  qui  eas,  sed  quod  his 
honeste  sit  usus.  Nam  divitiae  et  potentia  et  gratia,  cum 
plurimum  virium  dent  in  utramque  partem  certissimum  faci- 
unt  morum  experimenturn  : aut  enim  meliores  propter  haec, 
aut  pejores  sumus.’’ 

y In  regard  to  this  species  of  discourse,  as  the  immediate 
object  is  to  please  by  presenting  to  the  imagination  a beauti- 
ful and  finished  picture  in  suitable  coloring,  it  admits,  from 


456 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


the  nature  of  it,  more  of  ornament  than  any  other  kind  de- 
livered from  the  pulpit.  There  are  few  of  the  tropes  and 
figures  of  eloquence,  that  may  not  properly  find  admission 
here."  ' This  is  a kind  of  moral  painting  ; and  greater  allow- 
ance is  made  for  introducing  things  which  serve  merely  the 
purpose  of  decoration,  when  the  immediate  object  is  to  delight. 
Here  too  there  is  generally  more  indulgence  in  point  of 
style,  than  can  be  admitted  in  any  other  species  of  sermon. 
In  respect  of  flowers  and  harmony,  this  kind  borders  even  on 
the  poetical.  Yet  still  it  must  be  remembered,  that  this  in- 
dulgence hath  its  bound.  Whatever  soars  above  the  reach 
of  the  congregation,  whatever  appears  either  unintelligible  or 
affected,  is  still  faulty  and  offensive.  I observe  further,  that 
in  regard  to  the  very  ornaments,  of  which  the  different  sorts 
of  discourses  are  susceptible,  such  as  metaphors,  compari- 
sons, examples,  these  in  the  thoughts  as  well  as  in  the  lan- 
guage should  be  different  in  the  different  kinds.  In  the  ex- 
planatory, all  the  borrowed  illustrations  and  similitudes  ought 
to  be  from  things  familiar  and  simple,  as  well  as  exhibited  in 
a distinct  and  easy  manner.  In  the  controversial  kind,  the 
simplicity  and  perspicuity  of  the  decorations,  though  still  of 
consequence,  are  not  so  much  regarded  as  a certain  forcible 
manner  of  impressing  the  imagination,  so  as  to  carry  convic- 
tion along  with  them.  The  similes  here  ought  to  be  all  a 
kind  of  analogical  argument.  Again,  in  the  commendatory 
discourses,  whose  end  is  neither  to  inform  nor  to  convince 
but  to  please,  the  principal  quality  in  the  fund  of  the  imagery 
to  be  employed  is  its  beauty.  No  metaphor,  however  like  or 
apposite,  ought  ever  to  be  admitted  here,  that  is  not  taken 
from  an  agreeable  object.  Under  the  general  term  agreea- 
ble, I must  be  understood  to  comprehend,  not  only  the  beau- 
tiful, strictly  so  called,  but  also  the  grand,  the  sublime,  the 
wonderful  and  the  new,  if  with  these  qualities  there  be  not 
connected  anything  that  is  disagreeable,  mean,  ugly  or  de- 
formed. 

As  to  the  manner  of  concluding  discourses  of  this  kind, 
any  one  or  two  or  even  all  of  the  three  following  may  be 
adopted,  according  as  the  preacher  shall  judge  most  suitable 
to  the  time,  the  subject  and  the  occasion.  First,  you  may 
make  out,  from  the  actions  and  behavior  you  have  been  de- 
lineating, a clear  and  distinct  character  of  the  person.  Or, 
secondly,  you  may  introduce  a contrast  between  the  conduct 
of  the  person  commended  in  some  of  the  most  memorable  in- 


LECTUUES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


457 


stances,  and  that  which  there  is  reason  to  believe  would  be 
followed,  or  which  commonly  is  followed  by  the  generality, 
even  of  professing  Christians,  in  the  like  circumstances.  Or, 
thirdly,  you  may  conclude  with  a more  direct  application  to 
the  passions  of  the  hearers,  in  order  to  excite  in  them  a gen- 
erous ardor  to  be,  themselves,  what  they  cannot  contemplate- 
or  behold  without  admiring.  The  first  of  these  methods  is 
far  the  most  difficult.  To  draw  a character,  which  shall  be 
at  once  both  just  and  striking,  which  shall  set  the  different 
features  in  the  most  conspicuous  point  of  view,  that  shall 
mark  not  only  the  exact  turn  of  each,  but  the  manner  where- 
in they  limit  and  set  off  one  another,  requires  indeed  the  de- 
licate hand  of  a master  in  the  rhetorical  art.  It  is  attempted 
by  every  dabbler  in  historiography,  but  it  is  notone  of  a hun- 
dred that  succeeds.  Let  it  be  observed,  that  a character 
thus  introduced  in  the  conclusion  of  a sermon  of  this  kind, 
ought  in  every  part  of  it  to  be  manifestly  supported  by  the 
particular  actions  and  conduct  delineated  in  the  discourse, 
and  should  serve  to  recall  to  the  memory  and  impress  on  it 
more  strongly  those  particulars.  As  to  the  manner,  a good 
deal  of  care  and  attention  is  necessary.  The  prevailing 
taste  at  present  seems  to  be,  to  give  the  whole  in  a string  of 
antitheses,  the  great  dexterity  of  which  consists  in  this,  to 
make  the  contrasted  members  come  as  near  as  possible  con- 
tradicting one  another,  and  yet  escape  being  really  contra- 
dictory. Very  often  they  do  not  escape  this.  But  though  I 
do  by  no  means  blame  the  use  of  antithesis  in  drawing  char- 
acters, a matter  of  particular  nicety,  in  as  much  as  in  this 
way,  when  well  executed,  the  precise  boundaries  of  the  dif- 
ferent traits  are  more  precisely  ascertained,  yet  a continued 
train  of  this  figure  through  successive  sentences,  however 
well  it  may  pass  in  history,  has  by  far  too  artificial  and  elab- 
orate an  appearance  to  suit  the  seriousness  and  the  simplici‘- 
ty  of  the  pulpit  diction.  As  much  conciseness,  as  can 
be  rendered  consistent  with  perspicuity,  is  very  suitable 
here. 

The  second  kind  of  conclusion  mentioned,  by  a contrast 
between  the  conduct  delineated  and  that  of  others,  is  often  a 
very  pertinent  application  of  the  subject,  inasmuch  as  it 
makes  the  virtues  of  another  serve  as  a mirror  to  the  hearers 
wherein  they  may  discover  their  own  vices  and  defects.  It 
deserves  only  to  be  observed  further  on  this  article,  that  it  is 
not  necessary,  that  this  part  should  be  confined  to  the  con- 
39 


458  LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE- 

elusion.  When  anything  noble,  generous,  humane  or  pious 
is  illustrated  in  the  discourse,  as  displayed  on  any  signal  oc- 
casion, it  may  very  properly  be  contrasted  with  the  conduct 
either  of  any  real  character  on  record,  or  of  what  w^e  know 
from  experience  to  be  the  conduct  of  the  majority  of  Chris- 
tians. And  this  may  be  done  in  any  part  of  the  discourse. 
It  is  only  when  the  narrative  is  both  very  affecting,  and  ex- 
cites such  an  anxiety  in  the  hearer  for  obtaining  the  sequel 
of  the  story  and  knowing  the  issue,  that  it  is  better  not  to  in- 
terrupt the  thread  of  the  narration,  but  to  reserve  any  intend- 
ed contrast  to  the  conclusion.  When  a contrast  can  be 
found  in  true  history,  it  generally  answers  better  than 
w^hen  it  is  merely  hypothetical,  founded  in  common  expe- 
rience. 

The  third  method  of  concluding,  by  an  address  to  the  pas- 
sions of  the  hearers,  is  the  most  common.  This  may  be 
either  general  and  have  a relation  to  the  whole,  or  it  may  con- 
sist of  two  or  more  particular  addresses,  referring  respective- 
ly to  the  different  virtues  celebrated,  or  to  some  of  the  most 
memorable  actions  related  in  the  discourse.  Thus  much 
may  be  said  in  general  of  all  these  different  kinds,  that  no 
observation  made  or  motive  urged  here  can  be  called  appo- 
site, unless  it  have  a manifest  reference  to,  and  be  founded 
in  the  facts  related  and  the  virtues  celebrated  in  some  part  or 
other  of  the  body  of  the  discourse. 

I must  further  observe,  that  the  pathetic  is  more  easily  at- 
tained, and  that  the  transition  to  it  appears  more  natural  in 
the  conclusion  of  a commendatory  sermon,  than  in  that, 
either  of  an  explanatory  discourse  or  of  a controversial.  In 
these  tw^o  kinds,  during  the  whole  tenor  of  the  discourse 
which  is  of  a nature  merely  speculative,  the  understanding 
and  memory  only  are  exerted,  as  the  whole  consists  either  in 
explanations  or  in  reasonings.  This  is  rather  unfavorable 
for  emotion,  and  it  requires  a good  deal  of  address  to  pass 
successfully  from  one  to  the  other.  The  mind  cannot  all  at 
once  from  a state  of  perfect  coolness,  enter  with  warmth  and 
keenness  into  the  views  of  the  speaker.  It  behoves  him, 
therefore,,  in  beginning  such  an  address,  to  take  up  the  point 
on  the  key,  if  I may  so  express  myself,  to  which  he  knows 
their  souls  are  at  the  time  attuned,  and  gradually  to  work 
them  up  to  that  pitch  to  which  he  wants  to  bring  them.  If 
he  act  a contrary  part,  and  break  out  all  at  once  with  heat 
and  violence,  when  they  are  perfectly  cool,  so  far  from  ope- 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


459 


fating  on  their  affections,  or  influencing  their  will,  he  will 
appear  to  them  like  one  distracted,  who  flies  into  rage  for  he 
knows  not  what.  No  axiom  is  more  important  for  bringing 
us  to  succeed  in  the  pathetic,  than  this,  that  in  addressing 
the  hearers,  we  must  enter  with  them  on  the  subject  in  the 
same  tone  which  their  minds  are  predisposed  at  the  time  to 
take  it  up  in,  and  then  insensibly  work  them  up  to  ours.  A 
prudent  speaker,  who  perceives  a coldness  or  indifference  in 
his  audience,  will  judge  it  necessary  to  disguise  his  own 
warmth,  and  to  appear  willing  to  canvass  the  matter  as  cool- 
ly as  they  can  desire.  If  he  succeeds  thus  in  entering  on  it, 
and  has  the  address  for  a little  while  to  manage  them,  he 
may  carry  them  at  last,  to  what  pitch  he  will.  We  have  an 
excellent  example  of  this  kind  of  address,  in  the  funeral  pan- 
egyric which  Shakspeare  puts  into  the  mouth  of  Antony  on 
his  friend  Julius  Caesar,  immediately  after  his  murder  in  the 
senate-house. 

But  to  return,  I repeat  the  sentiment  as  an  important  one, 
that  nothing  tends  more  strongly  to  make  us  deaf  to  what  an- 
other says,  than  if  he  appear  to  be  in  a passion,  when  we  are 
quite  tranquil.  Now  the  panegyrical  discourses  much  more 
easily  pass  into  the  pathetic,  than  either  the  explanatory  or 
the  controversial.  There  is  a near  affinity  between  the  mo- 
ral sentiments  with  the  emotions  they  occasion,  and  the 
passions  and  affections  of  the  mind.  The  gradation  is 
perfectly  smooth  and  natural  from  approbation  to  admiration, 
from  admiration  to  esteem  and  love,  from  esteem  and  love  of 
the  virtuous  and  praiseworthy,  to  detestation  and  abhorrence 
of  the  contrary  dispositions,  and  from  these  to  corresponding 
desires  and  aversions.  The  orator  has  only  to  take  the  ad- 
vantage of  this  gradation,  and  that  frame  of  spirit  which 
the  whole  scope  of  the  discourse  was  calculated  to  produce. 


LECTURE  XIL 

OF  PATHETIC  DISCOURSES,  OR  THOSE  ADDRESSED  TO  THE  PAS- 
SIONS. OF  PERSUASIVE  DISCOURSES,  OR  SUCH  AS  ARE  IN- 
TENDED TO  OPERATE  OJ^I  THE  WILL. 

I HAVE  now  gone  through  the  explanation  of  the  principal 
parts  of  the  three  first  kinds  of  pulpit  discourses,  the  explan- 


460 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


atory,  the  controversial  and  the  commendatory,  and  the  rules 
to  be  severally  observed  in  composing  each.  I come  now  to 
the  fourth  kind,  the  pathetic,  or  that  which  is  addressed  im- 
> mediately  to  the  passions,  and  which  is  specially  intended  to 
rouse  the  mind  from  a state  of  languor  and  indifference  to 
the  impressions  of  fervor  and  affection.  The  occasion  of 
discourses  for  this  kind  with  us,  it  must  be  owned,  are  not 
very  frequent.  For  though  in  some  of  the  other  kinds,  par- 
ticularly in  the  persuasive,  a great  deal  is  addressed  to  the 
passions,  yet  these  are,  in  that  species  of  sermon,  only  em- 
ployed as  means  to  persuade  to  the  particular  practice  or  du- 
ty recommended.  Whereas  in  the  pathetic,  properly  so  call- 
ed, the  rousing  of  suitable  affections  is  apparently  the  ulti- 
mate end.  I acknowledge,  that  the  whole  of  preaching 
either  directly  or  indirectly  points  to  persuasion.  But  I de- 
nominate that  only,  the  end  of  any  species  of  discourse,  which 
is  the  declared  and  apparent  end  of  the  speaker.  I have  ob- 
served, that  the  occasions  of  discourses  of  this  kind  are  few ; 
there  are  however  some.  None  is  more  remarkable  or  oc- 
curs oftener,  than  those  calculated  for  disposing  a congrega- 
tion to  a suitable  commemoration  of  the  sufferings  of  our 
Lord,  in  the  sacrament  of  the  supper,  or  Eucharist,  as  it  is 
commonly  named  in  Ecclesiastical  History.  I do  not  say, 
however,  that  this  is  the  only  kind  of  discourse  that  is  adapt- 
ed to  such  occasions.  By  no  means.  If  that  were  the  case, 
as  the  subject  of  exciting  the  affections  on  such  occasions 
is  always  the  same,  it  would  lay  a minister  in  his  own  parish 
under  the  necessity  of  recurring  so  often  to  the  same  topics, 
as  could  not  fail  to  prove  tiresome  to  the  majority  of  the  hear- 
ers, and  that  though  the  things  advanced  by  him  were  ever  so 
good.  An  explanatory,  a commendatory  or  a persuasive  dis- 
course, may  also  at  such  times  be  very  pertinent.  A little  of 
the  grace  of  novelty  in  form  and  manner,  is  exceedingly  ne- 
cessary for  commanding  the  attention  of  the  greater  part  of 
audiences.  The  only  kind  that  I think  ought  to  be  excluded 
entirely  from  occasions  of  this  nature,  is  the  controversial. 
When  the  pathetic  at  such  a time  is  made  choice  of,  the 
preacher’s  aim  is  not  to  persuade  the  people  to  communicate. 
He  supposes,  that  they  have  come  to  church  with  that  inten- 
tion. It  is  not  to  persuade  them  to  the  performance  of  any 
preparatory  duty;  all  this  he  supposes  to  have  been  perform- 
ed already.  But  it  is  to  operate  on  all  the  grateful  and  de- 
vout affections  of  the  heart,  and  to  put  his  hearers,  I may 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


461 


say,  in  a proper  frame  of  spirit  for  discharging  the  duty  for 
which  they  are  assembled,  in  such  a reverend  and  pious  man- 
ner, as  may  produce  the  best  effect  upon  their  minds,  and 
tend  most  to  the  edification  and  confirmation  of  themselves 
and  others.  The  subject  for  this  purpose  may  be  more  or 
less  comprehensive,  as  the  preacher  shall  judge  convenient. 
Indeed,  for  the  sake  of  giving  a little  variety  to  what  does 
not,  from  its  nature,  admit  a great  deal,  it  may  not  be  improper 
at  different  limes  to  follow  different  methods ; at  one  time,  for 
instance,  the  subject  may  be  the  love  of  Christ  as  manifested  in 
the  whole  scheme  of  redemption  ; at  another,  the  same  thing, 
as  manifested  in  his  sufferings  and  death.  It  is  discourses  of 
the  last  kind,  which  are  commonly  called  passion-sermons. 

In  regard  to  the  exordium  or  introduction,  there  will  be 
less  occasion  for  much  art,  when  the  solemnity  of  the  time 
or  the  purpose  of  their  meeting  tends  itself  to  rouse  the  at- 
tention of  the  hearer,  and  to  supersede  the  address  of  the 
speaker.  The  topics  for  introducing  the  subject  may  then 
very  pertinently  be  raised  either  from  the  intention  for  which 
the  day  was  set  apart,  or  from  the  nature  and  importance  of 
the  matter  to  be  treated  in  the  sermon.  There  is  nothing 
peculiar  to  be  observed  in  regard  to  the  explanation  of  the 
text  and  context.  If  the  discourse  is  intended  merely  to  dis- 
play the  sufferings  of  our  Lord,  from  his  being  betrayed  into 
the  hands  of  his  enemies  to  his  death,  the  cruelty  which  was 
exercised  upon  him,  and  the  meekness,  piety  and  patience 
with  which  he  bore  it,  it  does  not  appear  to  be  necessary 
formally  to  lay  down  a method.  It  is  enough  in  your  nar- 
rative to  follow  the  order  of  the  history.  In  the  manner  of 
the  exhibition,  there  will  not  be  here  a very  material  differ- 
ence between  that  of  the  commendatory  or  panegyrical  dis- 
course and  this  of  the  pathetic.  Only  the  latter  admits  less 
show  and  ornament,  and  requires  that  we  dwell  longer  on  the 
most  affecting  circumstances.  When  the  preacher^  subject 
is  such  as  doth  not  confine  him  within  so  narrow  a compass, 
but  affords  an  opportunity  of  expatiating  on  topics  in  them- 
selves very  distinct,  but  as  it  were  concentrating  in  the  ten- 
dency they  all  have  to  kindle  the  same  affection  in  the  breast ; 
this  common  tendency  gives  a sufficient  unity  in  discourses 
of  this  kind.  The  reason  is  obvious. 

It  may  be  remarked,  that  in  this  sort  of  discourses,  more 
of  the  common  textuary  method  may  sometimes  be  followed, 
than  any  other  species  of  sermon  will  properly  admit.  Thus 
39^ 


462 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


suppose  the  text  to  be  2 Cor.  8:  9,  Ye  know  the  grace  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  though  he  was  rich,  yet  for  your 
sakes  he  became  poor,  that  ye  through  his  poverty  might  be 
rich.’^  The  whole  intention  of  the  discourse  being  to  stir 
up  grateful  and  devout  affection,  these  topics  may  severally 
and  very  pertinently  be  touched  as  tending  all  to  the  same 
important  point.  First,  the  consideration  of  the  person, 
whose  grace  the  apostle  here  celebrated,  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  who  was  rich.  Secondly,  the  consideration  of  the 
persons,  on  whom  this  grace  w^s  bestowed,  you  (it  was  for 
your  sakes)  the  posterity  of  fallen  Adam,  poor  and  helpless. 
Thirdly,  the  evidence  and  effect  of  his  grace,  ‘‘  he  became 
poor.”  Fourthly,  the  happy  fruits  and  purchase  of  his  grace, 
that  ye  through  his  poverty  might  be  rich.”  It  is  manifest 
that  each  of  these  considerations,  as  it  were,  assists  the  other, 
all  conspiring  to  kindle  the  warmest  return  of  gratitude  and 
love.  Thus  all  pointing  to  one  end,  a grateful  commemora- 
tion, gives  unity  to  the  discourse.  Another  instance  of  a 
text,  which  on  such  an  occasion,  and  for  such  a purpose, 
may  very  properly  be  divided  in  a similar  manner,  is  that  in 
1 Pet.  3:  18,  “ Christ  also  hath  once  suffered  for  sins,  the  just 
for  the  unjust,  that  he  might  bring  us  to  God.”  This  is  all 
of  the  verse,  that,  in  a consistency  with  the  unity  of  scope 
and  design,  should  be  taken  into  the  text.  The  subject  in 
effect,  perfectly  coincides  with  the  former ; and  the  distribu- 
tion may  be  in  other  words  the  same.  First,  Christ  the  just. 
Secondly,  us  the  -unjust.  Thirdly,  ‘Mte  suffered  for  sins.” 
Fourthly,  “ that  he  might  bring  us  to  God.”  Each  conside- 
Tation  severally  enhances  the  obligation,  and  consequently 
the  gratitude.  In  the  manner  of  treating  the  different  topics, 
one  ought  carefully  to  avoid  all  dry,  minute,  abstract  and 
metaphysical  explanation,  as  well  as  everything,  that  may  sa- 
vor too  much  of  argumentation  and  dispute.  We  are  to  re- 
member, that  this  kind  of  discourse  is  very  different  in  its 
nature  and  complexion,  both  from  the  explanatory  and  from 
the  controversial.  These  are  intended  only  to  enlighten,  but 
the  other  to  warm.  The  view  of  the  speaker,  in  these  seve- 
ral topics  in  a pathetic  discourse,  is  not  to  inform  the  hearers 
of  what  they  did  not  know  before,  it  is  not  to  convince  them 
of  what  they  did  not  believe  before  ; but  it  is  to  bring  to  their 
remembrance  truths  which,  though  both  known  and  believed, 
require  often  to  be  depicted  in  the  most  striking  colors,  that 
they  may  produce  their  congenial  effect  on  the  susceptible 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


463 


heart  of  the  Christian.  It  is  manifest,  therefore,  that  cold 
and  formal  explanations,  critical  discussions  and  abstract  ra- 
tiocinations are  here  carefully  to  be  avoided.  A few  lively 
strictures  on  the  several  heads,  exhibiting  all  the  principal 
considerations  in  the  most  glowing  colors,  are  the  surest  way 
of  raising  such  images  in  the  fancy,  as  not  only  will  give  a 
greater  permanency  to  the  perception  of  the  truths  them- 
selves, but  will  make  them  more  effectually  operate  on  the 
passions.  In  discourses  of  this  kind,  there  is  less  occasion 
also  for  a formal  peroration  or  conclusion  than  in  any  other. 
The  reason  is,  that  whereas  a certain  application  in  the  other 
kinds,  of  the  points  discussed  in  the  body  of  the  discourse, 
requires  a particular  address  to  the  passions,  there  cannot  be 
the  same  propriety  of  ending  in  this  manner  here,  where  the 
whole  discourse  is  addressed  to  the  passions.  Something, 
therefore,  which  in  few  words  may  serve  to  set  the  whole  ob- 
ject full  in  view,  to  recall  and  infix  the  impressions  already 
made,  is  all  that  is  necessary  in  discourses  of  this  nature. 

I shall  now,  in  the  last  place,  consider  the  fifth  species  of 
r discourse  mentioned,  that  which  was  intended  to  operate 
/ upon  the  will,  and  which  was  denominated  persuasive.  Un- 
der this  I include  not  only  those  sermons,  whose  end  is  to 
I persuade  to  good,  but  those  also  which  are  calculated  to  dis- 
« suade  from  evil ; for  the  structure  and  the  rules  of  composi- 
tion in  both  kinds  are  much  the  same.  Here  the  distin- 
guishing excellence  results  from  a proper  mixture  of  the  ar- 
gurnentive  and  pathetic,  as  it  were,  incorporated  together. 
Let  it  be  observed  that  I use  the  word  pathetic,  in  the  largest 
acceptation,  for  whatever  is  fitted  for  exciting  passion,  affec- 
tion or  desire.  The  argumentative  is  necessary,  because  the 
intention  of  the  speaker  compriseth  in  it  to  convince  the 
judgment,  that  is,  for  example,  to  satisfy  me  that  the  conduct 
which  you  recommend  is  agreeable  to  my  duty,  that  it  serves 
to  promote  my  true  interest,  or  is  conducive  to  my  honor  or 
my  peace.  The  pathetic  is  also  necessary,  because  the 
speaker’s  intention  does  not  terminate  in  the  conviction  of 
the  judgment ; he  intends  also  and  principally,  by  means  of 
the  judgment  to  influence  the  will.  To  make  me  believe,  it 
is  enough  to  show  me  that  things  are  so;  to  make  me  act,  it 
is  necessary  to  show  that  the  action  will  answer  some  end. 
That  can  never  be  an  end  to  me,  which  gratifies  no  passion 
or  affection  in  my  nature.  In  order  to  persuade,  it  is  always 
i/necessary  to  move  the  passions.  Passion  is  the  mover  to  ac- 


464 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


tion,  reason  is  the  guide.  Good  is  the  object  of  the  will, 
truth  is  the  object  of  the  understanding.  It  is  only  through 
the  passions,  affections  and  sentiments  of  the  heart,  that  the 
will  is  to  be  reached.  It  is  not  less  necessary,  therefore,  in 
the  orator  to  awaken  those  affections  in  the  hearers,  which 
can  be  made  most  easily  to  cooperate  with  his  view ; than 
it  is  to  satisfy  their  understandings  that  the  conduct  to  which 
he  would  persuade  them,  tends  to  the  gratification  of  the  af- 
fections raised.  But  though  both  are  really  purposed  by  the 
speaker,  it  is  the  last  only  that  is  formally  presented  to  them, 
as  entering  into  his  plan.  To  express  a formed  purpose  to 
work  upon  their  passions,  would  be  like  giving  them  warning 
to  be  upon  their  guard,  for  that  he  has  a design  upon  them. 
Artis  est  celare  artem.  Such  a method,  on  the  contrary, 
would  be  to  lay  the  artifice  quite  naked,  and  thereby  totally  to 
defeat  its  end.  The  emotion  with  which  they  perceive  him 
agitated,  and  the  animation  of  his  language,  far  from  being 
the  result  of  a deliberate  settled  purpose,  ought  to  appear  in 
him,  the  necessary,  the  unavoidable  consequences  of  the 
sense  that  he  has  of  the  unspeakable  importance  of  the  truths 
he  utters,  joined  with  an  ardent  desire  of  promoting  the  eter- 
nal happiness  of  them  who  hear  him.  It  is  not,  therefore, 
here  one  part  that  is  pathetic,  and  another  argumentative ; 
but  these  two  are  interwoven.  The  most  cogent  arguments 
are  earnestly  urged  and  pathetically  expressed. 

With  regard  to  the  whole  of  the  introductory  part,  and  ex- 
planation in  this  sort  of  discourses,  I have  nothing  peculiar 
to  remark.  I shall  only  observe,  that  as  to  the  text,  it  suits 
this  kind  better  than  any  other,  that  it  be  in  the  form  of  a 
precept.  I do  not  say,  however,  that  this  form  is  absolutely 
necessary.  The  end  of  the  speaker  may  be,  either  to  per- 
suade to  a Christian  life  in  general,  or  to  the  performance  of 
any  Christian  duty  in  particular.  On  the  other  hand,  it  may 
be  to  dissuade  from  a vicious  course  in  general,  or  from  the 
practice  of  any  sin  in  particular.  Nay  further,  it  may  be  a 
persuasive  or  a dissuasive  general  or  particular,  either  from 
all  the  motives  that  the  nature  of  the  subject  will  afford,  or 
from  one  class  of  motives  only.  There  is  such  a richness 
and  variety  in  the  motives  that  may  be  urged,  where  religion 
is  in  the  question,  that  in  order  to  avoid  being  superficial,  it 
may  be  very  proper  for  a pastor  amongst  his  own  flock,  as  he 
has  frequent  opportunities  of  addressing  them,  sometimes  to 
enforce  the  same  duty  from  one  set  of  motives  and  sometimes 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


465 


from  another.  If  the  speaker’s  design  be  to  comprehend  in 
the  same  discourse  all  the  arguments  which  the  nature  of  the 
subject  admits,  his  text  should  be  either  a simple  precept, 
wherein  the  duty  is  enjoined  or  the  sin  prohibited  but  no 
motive  urged  ; or  perhaps  a simple  proposition,  wherein  such 
a practice  is  barely  pronounced  right  or  wrong.  If  the  in- 
tention is  to  persuade  from  one  class  of  motives  only,  there 
should  be  something  in  the  text,  that  points  to  these  motives. 

Thus  in  the  first  case,  suppose  the  speaker’s  intention  be 
to^^ersuade  to  repentance  from  every  motive  which  either 
reason  or  Scripture  affords,  his  text  may  be  the  simple  com- 
mand Repent,  which  occurs  in  several  places  of  the  gospel ; 
or  if  he  does  not  like  one  so  brief,  he  may  take  these  words 
of  the  apostle  Paul,  Acts  17:  30,  ‘‘  God  now  commandeth  all 
men  everywhere  to  repent.”  But  if  he  would  persuade  to 
repentance  from  the  single  consideration  of  its  connection 
with  the  remission  of  sins,  these  words  of  Peter,  Acts  3:  19, 
will  do  better,  Repent  ye  therefore  and  be  converted,  that 
your  sins  may  be  blotted  out;”  for  the  words  he  converted 
are  merely  explanatory,  and  therefore  do  not  render  the  sen- 
timent complex,  whatever  may  be  said  of  the  expression. 
Or,  if  the  speaker’s  intention,  (which  is  near  of  kin  to  the 
former,)  be  to  persuade  to  repentance  from  this  consideration, 
that  future  misery  is  the  inevitable  consequence  of  final  im- 
penitence, he  may  take  these  words  of  our  Lord,  Luke  13: 
5,  ‘‘  Except  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  perish.”  To  a Chris- 
tian life  in  general  one  may  persuade  from  various  motives. 
Suppose  from  the  native  excellence  of  genuine  virtue  or  true 
righteousness ; the  text  in  that  case  may  be  Prov.  12:  26, 
“ The  righteous  is  more  excellent  than  his  neighbor  or 
from  the  present  felicity  to  be  found  in  the  ways  of  religion ; 
these  words,  Ps.  19:  11,  “ In  keeping  of  them  there  is  great 
reward,”  may  serve  as  a text.  Let  it  be  observed,  that  such 
a text  as  this  requires  some  explanation  of  the  context,  with- 
out which  the  subject  is  not  to  be  understood,  the  matter 
spoken  of  being  expressed  by  a pronoun.  When  this  is  not 
the  case,  and  when  the  passage  adopted  appears  independent 
and  perfectly  intelligible  by  itself,  it  may  stand  for  a general 
rule  that  such  explanations  are  better  let  alone,  and  deserve 
to  be  considered  but  as  a sort  of  digressions  at  the  best.  If 
the  intention  were  to  persuade  to  a good  life  from  the  con- 
sideration of  the  comfort  it  brings  in  trouble,  and  especially 
in  the  views  of  death,  this  passage  might  answer,  Ps.  37:  37, 


466 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 


Mark  the  perfect  man  and  behold  the  upright,  for  the  end 
of  that  man  is  peace.’^  Bourdaloue,  a celebrated  French 
preacher  of  the  last  century,  persuades  to  the  same  thing 
from  the  consideration  of  the  future  happiness  of  the  saints 
from  these  words  of  our  Saviour,  Luke  6:  23,  “ Behold  your 
reward  is  great  in  heaven.”  It  deserves  to  be  remarked, 
that  there  is  here  not  only  a reference  to  the  context  for  the 
character  or  conduct  to  which  the  reward  is  promised,  but 
that  when  you  recur  to  the  preceding  words,  they  seem 
rather  to  refer  to  this  in  particular,  the  suffering  of  persecu- 
tion and  reproach  for  righteousness’  sake.  Yet  as  this  itself 
is  one  of  the  noblest  fruits  and  surest  evidences  of  real  sanc- 
tity, the  choice  cannot  justly  be  deemed  an  inexcusable 
liberty.  The  reward  is  very  properly  considered,  as  ulti- 
mately to  be  attributed  to  that  principle  from  which  the  con- 
duct flows.  In  persuading  to  particular  duties,  or  dissuad- 
ing from  particular  vices  or  temptations  to  vice,  when  the 
speaker  intends,  (as  it  is  not  indeed  so  common  here  to  con- 
fine one’s  self  to  one  class  of  motives,)  to  employ  every  argu- 
ment of  weight,  which  the  subject  presents  to  him,  a single 
precept,  briefly  and  plainly  expressed,  seems  the  most  con- 
venient choice  for  a text.  If  the  design  is  to  persuade  to 
the  love  of  God,  these  words  are  proper.  Matt.  22:  37,  ‘‘  Thou 
shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all 
thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind.”  If  to  the  love  of  men, 
verse  39,  “ Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.”  These 
passages  may,  in  like  manner,  serve  as  foundations  for  dis- 
courses explanatory  of  these  duties.  And  as  was  remarked 
on  the  controversial  sermon,  we  may  observe  here,  that  the 
minister  in  his  own  parish  may,  if  he  thinks  it  necessary,  be- 
gin with  a discourse  explaining  the  duty  enjoined  or  the  vice 
prohibited,  (if  the  text  contains  a prohibition,)  and  in  his 
next  discourse  from  the  same  words  make  it  his  business  to 
persuade  them  to  the  one,  or  dissuade  them  from  the  other. 
But  in  many  cases  it  must  be  acknowledged,  that  such  pre- 
vious explanatory  discourse  is  not  necessary ; the  full  import 
of  the  precept  being  perfectly  level  to  every  ordinary  capaci- 
ty. Thus  if  the  subject  were  to  dissuade  from  the  vice  of 
lying,  a proper  text  would  be  these  words  of  Paul,  Col.  3:  9, 
“ Lie  not  to  one  another.”  If  against  detraction,  James  4: 
II,  ‘‘  Speak  not  evil  one  of  another.”  In  such  plain  cases, 
it  must  be  owned,  there  would  be  little  occasion  for  many 


J 


LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE.  4G7 

words,  and  much  less  for  a separate  discourse,  in  order  to 
explain  the  import  and  extent  of  the  prohibition. 

In  regard  to  the  method,  however  different  the  matter  be, 
as  something  of  the  argumentative  form  must  be  preserved, 
the  rules  laid  down  in  the  controversial  discourse  may  be  of 
some  use.  One  may  begin,  with  showing  the  weakness  of 
those  pleas  or  arguments  by  which  the  dissolute,  the  vicious 
or  the  profane  commonly  defend  their  own  conduct,  and 
seduce  others  into  the  same  track  ; and  then  produce  posi- 
tive arguments  or  motives  to  influence  his  hearers  to  that 
conduct  which  he  recommends.  Or  it  may  not  be  necessa- 
ry, to  make  a separate  article  of  the  adversary’s  plea;  a 
place  for  whatever  is  requisite  in  this  way  may  be  found  by 
the  preacher,  as  he  proceeds  in  the  support  of  his  own  cause. 
In  this  case  the  different  topics  of  argument  may  constitute 
the  heads  of  discourse.  Bourdaloue,  on  the  text  above  men- 
tioned, proposed  to  persuade  his  hearers  to  a pious  and  vir- 
tuous life  from  the  consideration  of  the  recompense  that 
awaits  the  just  in  the  world  to  come.  And  from  these  three 
different  qualities  of  that  recompense,  its  certainty,  its  great- 
ness, its  eternity,  he  finds  topics  of  argument  for  influencing 
his  hearers  to  a proper  regard  to  it.  And  these  three  topics 
divide  the  discourse.  In  treating  each,  he  contrasts  that 
quality  he  is  illustrating  with  something  of  an  opposite  nature 
ever  to  be  found  in  the  rewards  or  pleasures  of  sin,  their  pre- 
cariousness in  opposition  to  its  certainty,  their  insignificancy 
ill  opposition  to  its  greatness,  and  their  transitoriness  in  op- 
position to  its  eternity.  As  to  the  method,  in  which  the  dif- 
ferent topics  are  to  be  arranged,  the  same  observations  will 
hold  that  were  made  on  the  controversial  discourse,  and 
therefore  shall  not  be  repeated.  The  arrangement  above 
mentioned  seems  to  be  the  best  in  that  particular  subject, 
yet  I could  not  say  it  were  absolutely  necessary.  You  may 
begin  perhaps  with  equal  propriety  with  the  greatness  of  the 
reward,  as  with  its  certainty  ; but  in  any  case,  it  seems  most 
fit  that  you  should  conclude  with  the  eternity.  When  the 
different  motives  are  mentioned  in  the  text,  the  preacher  may 
very  properly  take  notice  of  the  different  clauses,  as  the  foun- 
dations of  his  different  heads.  But  when  they  are  not  ex- 
plicitly mentioned,  it  savors  of  conceit  and  puerility  to  make 
them  out  by  straining  the  words.  This  is  a fault  into  which 
the  last  mentioned  orator,  misled  by  the  taste  of  the  age  and 
nation,  frequently  falls.  Of  the  three  topics  aforesaid,  only 


468  LECTURES  ON  PULPIT  ELOQUENCE. 

one  can  properly  be  said  to  be  expressed  in  the  text,  namely, 
the  greatness ; yet  he  finds  something  in  the  words  to  serve 
as  separate  foundations  to  the  several  heads.  First,  says  he, 
I shall  consider  the  certainty  pointed  out  in  the  emphatic 
term  with  which  the  sentence  is  introduced,  Ecce,  behold. 
Secondly,  the  greatness,  m trees  vestra  mult  a est,  your  reward 
is  great.  Thirdly,  the  eternity,  in  coelo,  in  heaven.  It  may 
not  be  amiss  to  observe,  that  in  making  the  transition  from 
one  topic  or  head  of  discourse  to  another,  it  will  often  prove 
very  helpful  to  the  memory,  to  point  out  in  brief  how  much 
you  have  already  evinced,  and  what  you  are  in  the  next  place 
proceeding  to  evince. 

^ As  to  the  conclusion,  it  is  very  proper,  first,  to  give  a sum 

*^of  the  argument,  in  order  to  infix  the  whole  more  effectually 
on  the  minds  of  the  hearers,  and  then  more  warmly  to  ad- 
dress the  passions.  If  the  preceding  part  has  been  suitably 
conducted,  the  people  will  be  prepared  for  entering  into  the 
subject  with  all  the  warmth  that  the  speaker  can  desire. 
The  way  of  practical  inferences  or  speculative  corollaries  is 
not  well  suited  to  this  kind  of  discourse.  With  regard  to 
the  first,  the  whole  tenor  of  the  sermon  is  practical,  and 
therefore  needs  not  a formal  application  of  this  kind  ; besides, 
that  to  enforce  anything  else  than  what  was  the  direct  aim  of 
the  whole,  is  really  diverting  the  hearers’  attention,  and*in 
some  degree  undoing  the  effect  of  what  was  said.  Still  more 
unsuitable  are  inferences,  relating  merely  to  the  truth  or  the 
falsehood  of  certain  tenets.  When  the  discourse  is  a per- 
suasive to  the  Christian  life  in  general,  or  to  some  necessary 
and  important  duty  immediately  connected  with  the  whole, 
as  to  repentance ; in  the  peroration,  one  may  very  pertinent- 
ly urge  some  motives  to  induce  the  hearers  to  enter  without 
loss  of  time  on  doing  that  which  they  must  be  sensible,  it  is 
both  their  duty  and  their  interest  to  do.  This  is  no  other 
than  advancing  the  aim  and  effect  of  the  whole.  In  this 
pan,  however,  he  ought  carefully  to  avoid  the  formality  of 
proposing  and  arranging  his  topics.  For  this  would  give  the 
appearance  of  a new  and  a separate  discourse,  to  what  was 
intended  only  as  corroborative  of  the  discourse  preceding. 


END. 


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